【推荐1】From now on, never spend your precious time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.

The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created: the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner: You can be a success if only you make the right choice.

You cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are leaves tossed (摇摆) by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.

You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.

Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for letting out expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.

In short, in all areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it, you are on the road to success.

1. People with low self-esteem are compared to leaves because they_______.

A．can’t exercise control over themselves	B．are ready to change their minds
C．don’t have the power to face their fate	D．are easily affected by windy weather

2. Losers would think that ______.

A．success is the result of hard work	B．their failure is only because of bad luck
C．they don’t make efforts to succeed	D．working hard will lead to success

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that_______.

A．success is a chance	B．we are what we make us
C．thoughts and beliefs are the result of creative mind	D．developing confidence is the only way to future success

4. The last paragraph serves as_______.

A．the proof of the author’s points	B．the conclusion of the argument
C．an introduction to another topic	D．a comparison between two views

【推荐2】I was ten when I first sat with my grandmother behind the cashier (收银台) in her general store.    1     I quickly learned the importance of treating customers politely and saying “thank you.”

At first I was paid in candy.    2    I worked every day after school, and during the summer and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m. My father helped me set up a bank account.    3    

By the time I was 12, my grandmother thought I had done such a good job that she promoted me to selling cosmetics(化妆) ideas.    4    

The job taught me a valuable lesson: To be a successful salesperson, you didn’t need to be a rocket scientist----you need to be a great listener.    5    Except they are no longer woman purchasing cosmetics from me; instead, they are kids who tell me which toys they would like to see designed and developed.

A．Later I received 50 cents an hour.

B．Before long, she let me sit there by myself.

C．I ended up selling a record amount of cosmetics.

D．Today I still carry that lesson with me：I listen to customers.

E．My grandma’s trust taught me how to handle responsibility.

F．Soon I found myself looking more beautiful than ever before.

G．Watching my money grow was more rewarding than anything I could have bought.

【推荐3】My phone rang after I boarded a plane. It was my former PhD adviser calling to tell me a preprint had just been posted that identified imperfections in a paper we’d published in Nature. My stomach dropped as he told me the authors of the critique (评论) were demanding a retraction (撤回). I was overcome by a mix of emotions — disbelief, embarrassment, frustration — and wondering what this would mean for my career.

I took out my laptop and logged on the airport WiFi to read the critique myself. It was unpleasant and thorough, pointing out several fundamental imperfections in our methods and the underlying data, which we’d gathered from other studies.

The fallout was swift and intense. I received a flood of emails and messages. Some were from supportive colleagues, while others were critical of our work. As the first author of the paper and the person who had done all of the data analysis, I felt deeply embarrassed by the criticism.

We wrote a draft response, correcting the apparent errors in the data set and defending our methods. However, after receiving feedback from peer reviewers, we decided against publishing our response.

When it became clear that the retraction was unavoidable, I formally offered my resignation to my department head. He didn’t accept it, saying a resignation wasn’t needed considering the errors in the paper were honest mistakes.

The experience helped me grow as a scientist. I learned that it is better to be open and accountable, even if it means admitting mistakes. I can’t expect myself to know everything as a scientist and my work will be stronger if I seek out diverse expertise and opinions.

In the end, the reality is that retractions are a necessary part of the scientific process — and one that shouldn’t be viewed only through a negative lens. Retractions can also be an opportunity to learn and improve. Honest mistakes happen, and researchers should be encouraged, not punished, for doing the right thing and retracting imperfect work.

1. What news did the author get after boarding the plane?

A．His career might be influenced by his paper.

B．His research paper would be published soon.

C．Some mistakes were found in his published paper.

D．His adviser demanded that he should retract his paper.

2. What does the underlined word “fallout” in Para. 3 mean?

A．Consequence.

B．Answer.

C．Pain.

D．Shame.

3. Why was the author’s resignation refused?

A．He had a good reputation of honesty.

B．He didn’t make mistakes intentionally.

C．He had corrected his mistakes in the paper.

D．His response was against by peer reviewers.

4. What lesson did the author learn from his experience?

A．Retractions can be a chance to learn.

B．Scientists had better know everything.

C．Honest mistakes are necessary in science.

D．Admitting mistakes is really embarrassing.

【推荐1】Baggy has become the first dog in the UK—and potentially the world—to join the fight against air pollution by recording pollutant levels near the ground.

Baggy wears a pollution monitor on her collar so she can take data measurements close to the ground. Her monitor has shown that air pollution levels are higher closer to ground level, which has helped highlight concerns that babies and young kids may be at higher risk of developing lung problems.

Conventional air pollution monitors are normally fixed on lampposts at about nine feet in the air. However, since Baggy stands at about the same height as a child in a pushchair（婴儿车）, she frequently records pollution levels which are much higher than the data gathered by the Environment A gency.

The doggy data research was the idea of Baggy's 13-year-old owner Tom Hunt and his dad Matt. The English youngster noticed that pollution levels are around two-thirds higher close to the ground than they are in the air at the height where they are recorded by the agency. Tom has since reported the shocking findings to the government in an attempt to emphasise that babies are at higher risk of developing asthma（哮喘）.

Matt Hunt said he was "very proud" of his son because “when the boy gets an idea, he keeps his head down and gets on with it, and he really does want to do some good and stop young kids from getting asthma."

“Tom built up a passion for environmental protection at a very early age," Matt added. “He became very interested in gadgets（小装置）. About one year ago, he got this new piece of tech which is like a test tube. One Sunday afternoon, we went out to do some monitoring, and he said, why don't we put it on Baggy's collar and let her monitor the pollution？'So we did it."

Tom said, "Most of the time, Baggy is just like any other dog. But for the rest of the time she is a super dog, and we are all really proud of her."

1. With a monitor on her collar, Baggy can ____________.

A．take pollutant readings	B．record pollutant levels
C．process collected data	D．reduce air pollution

2. What can we learn from the Baggy data?

A．High places are free of air pollution.

B．Higher pushchairs are more risky for kids.

C．Conventional monitors are more reliable.

D．Air is more polluted closer to the ground.

3. What is Tom's purpose of doing the research?

A．To warn of a health risk.	B．To find out pollution sources.
C．To test his new monitor.	D．To prove Baggy's abilities.

4. According to the passage, which word can best describe Tom Hunt?

A．Modest.

B．Generous.

C．Creative.

D．Outgoing.

【推荐2】When thinking about intelligence, we often place humans at the top of the ranks. However, there is a species whose intelligence is far more advanced and perhaps more similar to humans than we’d thought — crows (乌鸦).

In 2002, a crow named Betty wowed Oxford University scientists by picking up a piece of wire in her cage and bending it at one end to make a hooked (钩状的) tool. Then the crow used the hooked tool to lift a pig’s heart from a small container to eat. Many years later, researchers found that bending tools was in fact not that unusual for New Caledonian crows.

As part of the Corvid family of birds, the brains of New Caledonian crows and others within the family have been studied more closely. Corvids have shown amazing cognitive (认知的) abilities. Unlike humans, corvids do not have a neocortex — a brain structure that allows for advanced cognitive development. Instead, their brains are filled with neurons (神经元) which have enabled the bird to have similar mental capacities like humans.

According to a paper published earlier this year, New Caledonians are particular about the plant stem (茎) which they use to make their hooked tools and are able find out the best plant stem. They are also capable of looking for that plant stem even when it is disguised (伪装) with leaves from a different plant species. Crows are also able to use their abilities to solve advanced problems. Crows also seem to use their cleverness for fun, much like humans do, as young birds love to play.

New Caledonian crows have emotions and memories and are cognitively skilled animals. They just might not be so different from us humans after all!

1. How did Betty surprise the scientists?

A．She made a hooked tool.	B．She escaped from her cage.
C．She managed to lift a heavy container.	D．She showed great interest in pig’s heart.

2. What do we know about New Caledonian crows?

A．They remain unknown to humans.

B．They are quite different from other corvids.

C．Their brain structure is similar to that of humans.

D．Their cognitive abilities are decided by neurons.

3. What does the underlined word “particular ” in paragraph 4 mean ?

A．Anxious.

B．Happy.

C．Picky.

D．Curious.

4. What is the text mainly about ?

A．The intelligence of crows.	B．The survival skills of crows.
C．The development of the crow family.	D．The memories of crows.

【推荐3】It was the last time Susan Butcher ran the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1992. An hour into the race, Susan and her sled dog team sped down a hill and crashed into a fallen tree. Although hurt, Susan continued the difficult race.
The Iditarod Race started in 1925 when a doctor in Nome, Alaska was desperately in need of medicine to stop the spread of a deadly disease. Only a hospital had what he needed, but it was 700 mile-away! In January, it was too dangerous to send a boat and too stormy for his tiny airplane. The only hope was to use several sled dog teams following a trail, called the Iditarod Trail. They passed the medicine from one sled team to another. Wind and snow did not stop the men and their dogs. The medicine was delivered in record time. The race follows the route of the famous medicine run. Over 1,000 miles long, it is considered the toughest race in the world.
Susan Butcher was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her teens Susan was given a Siberian husky dog and became very interested in huskies as sled dogs. After reading about the Iditarod Race, Susan moved to Alaska. She got several jobs to earn money to buy herself a sled and a team of huskies. After years of hard work and training, Susan achieved her dream of racing on the Iditarod Trail.
In 1978, at the age of 24, Susan entered the race for the first time and became the first woman to finish in the top 20. In 1982 she came in second. In 1984 she was leading her team across a frozen waterway when they fell into the water. Her lead dog managed to pull Susan and the other dogs out of danger. Remarkably, she came in second.
In her fourth race, in 1985,a starving moose(驼鹿) attacked her dogs, killing two and injuring eleven. Susan had to leave the race. In 1986 Susan joined the race again. This time, she won. She won again in 1987. In 1988 she became the first person ever to win three Iditarod races in a row.   Unbelievably, Susan won for the fourth time in 1990.
1. According to text, Susan Butcher entered the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race at least     times.

A．six

B．seven

C．eight

D．nine

2. In Paragraph 2, the author wants to tell us          .

A．how the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began

B．how the spread of a deadly disease was stopped

C．how tough the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was

D．how Susan Butcher began to show interest in the race

3. In the year          , Susan Butcher won three races in a row.

A．1984, 1985 and 1986	B．1985, 1987 and 1988
C．1986, 1987 and 1988	D．1987, 1988 and 1990

4. What led to some of Susan Butcher’s failures?

A．Snowstorm.	B．Lack of food.
C．Accidents.	D．Lack of experience.

【推荐2】I really hadn’t meant to yell（吼叫）at them．But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen．
With a tiresome report to write，I felt bothered at my desk．Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault．A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly．
“OK，you two here．but what an awful thing you are attempting!” shouting angrily, I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me．“Get away from us!” he shouted back，there being expression of support from his sister．
All of a sudden，I found the fault in myself．Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers（螃蟹螯）and crawled towards them，“Crabby（似螃蟹的）Daddy is here Ha，Ha，Ha，he likes to yell at children，and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away，but now he was laughing and crying at the same time．My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well．Still，I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way that my children could do after．
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself．It only shows just how to get rid of something（ill-feelings，responsibility）by blaming others．It’s not my “best self”．
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children．They don’t need perfect parents，but they do need parents who are always trying to get better．Here，I’m reminded of the words of a great thinker，“When a man lives with God，his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook…” Then，in our lifetime，couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since，most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level，what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?
1. The author couldn’t help yelling at his kids this time probably because______．

A．the weather was so unpleasant	B．a Daddy has his right to do so
C．the kids didn’t ask him to join them	D．he was tired of his boring work

2. Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?

A．No obvious reason．	B．The children’s reaction．
C．His self-control．	D．The mess made by the children．

3. According to the passage the author will     in another similar situation．

A．play a crab again like this time	B．apologize to kids in a sincere way
C．avoid blaming kids in a hurry	D．beat them up about such things

4. What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph（s）?

A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault．

B．How to blame our children in a more interesting way．

C．How to deal with the terrible mess made by our kids．

D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to．

【推荐3】As a child growing up in a suburban town in the Northeast of the United States, the arrival of spring had little meaning for me. Sure, we had a weeklong spring vocation from school, but the key word there was vacation, not spring.

For the kids in my neighborhood, the arrival of spring was a non-event. There were two important seasons: winter, when we could go skating and sledding or build snow forts, and summer, when we could finally make proper use of the beach about 100 meter east of my family home. Spring and autumn were just technical details, weeks and weeks of waiting for the good times’ return.

Admittedly, spring later developed its own attractions for me- “In the spring a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love”, as the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson noted-however, it was not spring itself, but the other stuff bat got my attention.

In short, I never thought much at all about spring.... and then I arrived in China. I had been in Beijing for about three months when my first Spring Festival rolled around, and it could hardly be ignored. Aside from the random bursts of fireworks at any time day or night, what stood out most for me was that the capital seemed to be empty.

It was as though the crowds and streams of cars and trucks commonly seen in the capital had all gone into hiding. My puzzlement cleared up when I returned to work. My colleagues explained that Chinese traditionally travel, if necessary, to visit their families during Spring Festival, and that many Beijingers were not natives of the capital.

I also got my first knowledge of something about Spring Festival that never ceases to amaze me. Regardless of when the holiday is set to begin, there is an almost immediate and sudden change for the better in the weather. Spring really does arrive.

I can’t begin to figure out how the ancient Chinese could create a system that would almost always accurately predict when the season would shift year after year after year. But they did.

1. What did the author think of spring as a child?

A．It was a season full of promise.	B．It was always beyond his imagination.
C．It was a tiring and long holiday.	D．It hardly left a good impression on him.

2. What impressed the author most about Beijing during the Spring Festival?

A．The busy traffic.	B．The unexpected quietness.
C．Beijingers’ love for travel.	D．Occasional bursts of fireworks.

3. How does the author feel about the system created by ancient Chinese?

A．Adorable.

B．Confused.

C．Wonderful.

D．Convenient.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Spring Festival in Beijing will make one feel quite lonely.

B．The author spent his first Spring Festival at a colleague’s home.

C．In China Spring Festival always indicates the coming of Spring.

D．The author still worked during the Spring Festival while in Beijing.