【推荐2】As children, we dream of growing older; when we are older, we dream of being children. We let our lives pass us by because we have yet to learn that the harder you yearn for time, the faster it passes. This is how my story begins.

In October of my freshman year, I took an accidental trip down memory lane. One day after school, I decided to take the long way home. I needed time to think. So off I went, walking through the grass. That was how I came to find a gap in the fence lining the school property. I passed through this gap and followed the treeline until I found myself in the far fields behind the neighborhood.

Suddenly, I remembered it was here through the fence between the school and the fields that I watched older kids having their high school graduation ceremony. In cap and gown (长袍), they stood in the middle of the field. They looked like they were having the most fun I had ever seen anyone have; they looked free.

Years later, I walked through that field on my way home from that same high school. I’ve since given this place a name, Tempus Illud, a place between places. I try to take the long way home at least once a month now. Sometimes, when I cross that bridge, I see that younger version of myself. She is so young and so desperate to speed up time. I see her peering through the fence at those graduates in the cap and gown, and she’s wishing she could be just like them. She, too, could feel so free that she might just grow wings and fly away. Now I’m preparing to wear the cap and gown in a few short months. But this time, I wish to leave time to its own devices.

The harder you yearn for time, the faster it passes you by. So I no longer yearn. The passage of time is inevitable, and you can’t avoid it, but you can appreciate it. James Taylor sings, “ The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill, but since we’re on our way down, we might as well enjoy the ride.”

1. How did the author feel when she saw the older kids’ graduation ceremony?

A．Admiring.

B．Curious.

C．Jealous.

D．Unconcerned.

2. What is the significance of Tempus Illud to the author?

A．It honors her best childhood memory.

B．It shows the miracle of frozen time.

C．It bridges her past, present and future.

D．It symbolizes high school graduation.

3. What is the author’s perspective on time at the end?

A．She is addicted to the past.

B．She yearns for time to pass quicker.

C．She wants to run after time.

D．She decides to enjoy the moment.

4. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the article?

A．To suggest that time brings the truth to light.

B．To share her changing attitude toward time.

C．To explain how time changes everything.

D．To show that tough times never last.

【推荐1】Some jobs are so demanding that there is not a free moment to do something else than to recover and rest. Most physicians have great difficulty starting or even maintaining a hobby. But there are exceptions.

Take Menno Baars for instance. He works full time as a cardiologist(心脏病专家)in a hospital in Holland. "Full time" might still be an understatement-as a cardiologist he spends about 60 hours a week in the hospital. However，after a long day of work，he likes to come home and spend hours doing what is his great passion: painting.

How can he find the time and energy to live a life that few others can pursue?" "Actually it is quite simple. If you like what you do, you will find a way to do it. Don't get me wrong. I love cardiology, but it is not a very creative profession," says Baars."It is a specialty that is based on strict treatment guidelines, without much room for your own ideas and creativity. That is why painting as a hobby is so wonderful. There are no rules and I can do whatever I want."

Although there are no rules in painting, for Baars it is still some sort of a custom. The only thing that reminds the painter Baars of the cardiologist Baars is his white coat and his surgical gloves which he wears every time he is painting." I sometimes start at 10 at night and can continue working until 4:30 in the morning and still make it to work on time that same day," says Baars."That is the advantage of my training as a medical specialist. I get used to making crazy hours and long nights."

You would think that someone who is so driven by his passion for painting was already fascinated by art as a little kid." Not at all," says Baars unexpectedly." I never dreamed of becoming a painter. My parents expected me to finish college and pursue a professional career. I only realized my passion for painting after having completed medical school. Once I was attracted by a painting of Miro, but could not afford it. So I decided to paint myself. I just started painting lines, but within minutes a beautiful dove was on the canvas. I suddenly realized this is what I want to do."

A successful doctor. A successful painter. It seems unfair to have the two identities in one person. What do his fellow cardiologists think of his passion for painting？“They accept it and actually appreciate it as well. You see，if I was a cardiologist who provided suboptimal(未达最佳标准的)care for his patients，they would not agree. My chairman told me a few years ago in the hospital that he would rather see me reading cardiology books at night than see me holding a paint brush.”

“I used to pack a lot of ideas into each painting-different shapes，colors and so on. I still have tons of ideas，which is not the problem. But I do strive for more simplicity. To depict a simple idea clearly is my goal. Also my technique has improved over time. When I started out，the paint would sometimes flake(剥落)if the basis was not good，but that doesn't happen anymore these days.”

Menno Baars never has any doubts when he is painting. However，he does like the response he gets from the most important woman in his life. His wife is the first to see each newly-finished painting." Sometimes when I finish a new painting in the middle of the night, I wake her up to see if she likes it. She doesn't always like to be woken up, but she always gives an honest answer.

Even if she doesn't like it, for me the painting is finished. I won't change it afterwards. It is more of the feeling that once my wife has seen it, it is ready to be presented to the rest of the world."

1. Why does Menno Baars like painting?

A．Because he dislikes rules very much.

B．Because he feels bored with his work.

C．Because he wants to pursue a career as a painter.

D．Because he finds painting a creative process.

2. Baars wears his working uniform while painting to_______.

A．help him work late into the night	B．make himself feel easy and comfortable
C．remember his identity as cardiologist	D．remind himself to work on time next morning

3. Baars developed the hobby of painting _______.

A．when he completed a beautiful painting	B．when he was a very young child
C．to live up to his parents' expectations	D．to spend his leisure time at home

4. What is Baars' colleagues' attitude towards him?

A．They can't hide their envy at his success.

B．They don't expect too much of his paintings.

C．They think he should put his job as a doctor first.

D．They don't think he should spend time painting.

5. Baars is trying to make his paintings_______.

A．full of different colors	B．clearly convey a simple idea	C．special with creative ideas
D．improve with modern techniques

6. If Menno Baars gets a negative response from his wife, he_______.

A．will probably feel very disappointed	B．will still keep the painting and have it presented
C．will accept her advice and change the painting	D．will never ask for her opinion any more

【推荐2】Try to Be Optimistic

I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.

I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places that I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.

The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”

My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with immigration (移民) officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.

From my experiences I have learned one important rule; something good is certain to happen in the end if you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.

1. How did the author get to know America?

A．From her relatives	B．From her mother
C．From books and pictures	D．From radio programs

2. For the first two years in New York, the author ________.

A．often lost her way

B．studied in three different schools

C．did not think about her future

D．got on well with her stepfather

3. What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?

A．She worked as a translator

B．She paid telephone bills for her family

C．She attended a lot of job interviews

D．She helped her family with her English

4. The author believes that ________.

A．her future will be free from troubles

B．it is difficult to learn to become patient

C．there are more good things than bad things

D．good things will happen if one keeps trying

【推荐1】Open water swimming

I had only swum in open water a few times, and always in gentle lakes, so I wasn’t prepared for how rough Lake Windermere appeared on a cold day. A swimmer told me the water felt colder than it had been measured, and that the water was a bit rough. But I, along with 10,000 others, was about to complete the challenge.

Most of the people taking part were doing a one-mile race, and 10 races were planned over the weekend. There seemed to be a mix of open-water enthusiasts alongside complete beginners — which is precisely the aim of the swims, to get as many people as possible completing their own challenge. The oldest woman competing was 77, taking part in the two-mile race, alongside a man who last year had swum in every one-mile race.

I had chosen the third one-mile race of the day. There were over 600 people in my race. We were taken through a preparation area, a children’s paddling pool-sized part of the lake where we moved in to feel how cold the water was. “Not too bad” was everyone’s thought! Then we headed out towards the middle of the lake.

We’d been warned that the first 100 meters would be really rough. However, somewhere near the 750m mark I was still waiting for the calm; it felt more like swimming in the sea than a lake. I tried to focus on my breathing and technique, and just keep going. As I approached the 400m-to-go mark my lower right leg became painful. I recalled overhearing people talking about how they kept swimming through the pain, so I tried. But it didn’t work. I began to feel the entire leg tight and painful. I didn’t want to stop, so I bent my right knee and just kicked with the left leg.

Finally, I saw the finishing post, and I just concentrated on getting there — still one-legged. My finishing time was 38 minutes 25 seconds but that didn’t matter — the atmosphere was fantastic and everyone felt a sense of achievement, whatever their time. I’m attracted and want to give it another go. I’ve already signed up for my next open-water swim.

1. How did the author feel before the race?

A．Scared of the most challenging race.

B．Disappointed by the difficult conditions.

C．Determined to be as tough as the people around her.

D．Concerned about the other swimmers in the race.

2. Why does the author mention the two people in Paragraph 2?

A．To stress the importance of the race.

B．To praise the experienced swimmers.

C．To introduce the various events of the race.

D．To show the wide range of the participants.

3. The author suggests in Paragraph 4 that ________.

A．the race would cause breathing problems

B．the race became harder than she had expected

C．it would have been easier if she had taken others’ advice

D．it was really necessary to prepare for tough swims

4. What does the author talk about in the last paragraph?

A．Her confidence in her own ability.

B．Her pride in having swum so quickly.

C．Her surprise at having managed to finish.

D．Her eagerness to repeat the experience.

【推荐3】As a young boy, I knew what people said was not always what they meant or were feeling. And I knew it was possible to get others to do what I wanted if I read their real feelings and responded suitably to their needs. At the age of eleven, I sold sponge rubber (海绵橡皮) door-to-door after school and quickly worked out how to tell if someone was likely to buy from me. When I knocked on a door, if someone told me to go away but their hands were open and they showed their palms, I knew it was safe to continue with my show because they weren’t angry or threatening although they may have a cold attitude. If someone told me to go away in a soft voice but used a pointed finger or closed hand, I knew it was time to leave.

As a teenager, I became a pots and pans (锅碗瓢盆) salesperson, and my ability to read people earned me enough money to buy my first house. Selling gave me the chance to meet people and study them close and to know whether they would buy or not, simply by watching their body language.

I joined the life insurance (保险) business at the age of twenty. And I went on to break several sales records for my company, becoming the youngest person to sell over a million dollars’ worth of business in my first year. I was lucky that the skills I’d learned as a boy in watching body language while selling pots and pans could be used in this new area, and were directly related to the success I could have in any business closely connected with people.

1. What does the author seem to share in Paragraph 1?

A．His present feelings.

B．His positive life attitude.

C．His language ability.

D．His earlier experience.

2. What does the underlined part “this new area” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．The life insurance business.

B．The pots and pans industry.

C．The study of body language.

D．The selling of sponge rubber.

3. What was the key to the author’s success?

A．Listening to customers.

B．Arguing with customers.

C．Studying customers’ words.

D．Reading customers’ body language.

4. How does the text mainly develop?

A．By following the order of space.

B．By following the order of time.

C．By giving examples.

D．By giving reasons.

【推荐1】阅读理解
阅读短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York—he in computers, she in special education. “Teaching means everything to us,” Tim would say. In April 1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation (基金会) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's hometown of Sevier, Tennessee. “I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire,” Tim recalls. He placed the brochure on his desk as a “reminder”.
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather than sign up online, they went to Dollywood for a look see. “We didn't want to give the children rubbish,” says Linda. The books reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists and Dollywood board members included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: “This program introduces us to books I've never heard of.”
The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. “Some people sit there and wait to die,” says Tim. “Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left.”
1. What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life?

A．His health problem.	B．His love for teaching.
C．The influence of his wife.	D．The news from the Web.

2. What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library?

A．Give out brochures.	B．Do something similar.
C．Write books for children	D．Retire from being a teacher.

3. According to the text, Dollly Parton is ________.

A．a well­known surgeon

B．a mother of a four­year­old

C．a singer born in Tennessee

D．a computer programmer

4. Why did the Richters go to Dollywood?

A．To avoid signing up online.

B．To meet Dollywood board members.

C．To make sure the books were the newest.

D．To see if the books were of good quality.

【推荐2】It is really a happy thing to look back on the days I spent with Jennie. We met in night school. After Jennie and I had completed the required courses, we started teaching in the same school. For a time we were just casual friends, but one day, when I was telling Jennie about my problem son, we discovered we were kindred spirits. “He’s a difficult little character,” I explained. Jennie looked thoughtful. “Maybe you’re only seeing him with your eyes.” She was silent for a moment and then added softly, “It is only with the heart that one sees rightly.” I stared at her. “You’re quoting that! It’s from The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s book for children, one of my favorites. You know it, too?” Jennie nodded. “I love it. I’ve read it so often. I’ve practically memorized it.”

Now, when I think of Jennie, I recall that book because Jennie-more than anyone I know-possessed the gift of seeing with the heart.

From that moment of a treasured book shared, our friendship grew steadily. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an excellent relationship with my husband and son, but my mother had died shortly after my marriage, and I had neither sisters nor daughters. I realize, now, how I needed someone to share those little, seemingly unimportant things that add so much to life-things that must be shared to be fully appreciated.

And it was Jennie who helped me with my fourth-grade problem child. One day I was at my wit’s end. “What he needs is a good beating!” I shouted.

“He’s probably had plenty of those,” Jennie said. “Maybe he just needs sincere praise for anything he does right, and a hug or two each day.” I followed this suggestion, and eventually, because of Jennie, I discovered a lovable little boy.

Looking back, I have to admit that she taught me so much. The days I spent with her has become one of my happiest memories.

1. What does the underlined part mean in the fourth paragraph?

A．I was unsure of how to deal with my son.	B．I decided to give up my job.
C．I faced financial difficulties.	D．I was very disappointed with myself.

2. How did the author and Jennie’s friendship start to grow?

A．They both were interested in children’s education.	B．They both liked a novel, The Little Prince.
C．They often chatted together about their hobbies.	D．They both learned in the same school.

3. We learn from the text that __________.

A．the author has the gift of seeing with the heart

B．the author had many sisters before meeting Jennie

C．the author had lost her mother before her marriage

D．the author seldom praised her son in the past

4. The text is mainly about _________.

A．how to control children properly	B．the fact that we should see nature differently
C．the influence of friendship in life	D．how friendship begins and disappears