When the need for information technology service arises, it can be a stressful moment—the user is locked out of their computer, or a program isn’t working properly. But if you ask anyone in the MIT departments of Chemistry and Physics, or the News Office—the Institute divisions that are fortunate enough to have Greg Walton as their IT service provider, they’ll acknowledge that not only is Walton the best, but whatever the issue is, he will see it through until all involved are satisfied with the outcome. Walton usually arrives on the scene with endless positive energy that transforms a technical annoyance into an enjoyable interaction, regardless of how many other IT fires he has already put out that day.
The qualities that make him a star employee extend far beyond the campus. After spending his early years in foster care, Walton lived with his great-grandmother, but mostly, he was left to support himself. While many children might, understandably, lie flat under such unsupervised circumstances, Walton excelled academically and athletically at high school. He became the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and enrolled in college.
Walton seized the chance to enroll in Year Up, a program aiming to close the “opportunity divide” by providing young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Walton remains an active ambassador for the organization.
In June of 2007,armed with shining recommendations, Walton was hired as a temp (临时工) at MIT.He eventually worked his way up to where he is today—an invaluable asset (不可或缺的人) to three departments.“I do feel lucky to work at MIT,” he says.“I’ve had the ability to tour the country sharing my story in hopes that some people may be inspired and employers may see young adults with tough backgrounds differently.”
In addition to Year Up, he is involved with a number of organizations committed to helping young adults overcome their troubled pasts. This desire to have a positive impact on people’s lives extends seamlessly into his work at MIT. “Giving back is very important to me,” Walton says. “So many people have invested their time and energy into helping me, so I feel it would be an injustice not to do so.”
1. Staff members in MIT sing high praise for Walton mainly because________.| A．he enjoys interacting with his clients |
| B．he knows how to put out fires for others |
| C．he solves problems with a positive attitude |
| D．he is good at developing computer programs |
| A．He depended on his great-grandma for a living. |
| B．He stood out in study and sports in high school. |
| C．He lay flat just like other unsupervised children. |
| D．He was supported by foster care for better education. |
| A．To share his troubled past with young adults. |
| B．To pay back to society by helping young adults. |
| C．To advise businesses to treat young adults fairly. |
| D．To promote education equality among young adults. |
| A．One good turn deserves another. |
| B．Opportunities favor the prepared mind. |
| C．Education is a powerful weapon to change the world. |
| D．One’s future is defined by his efforts, not by his origin. |
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【推荐1】Author of three books—her latest, The House that Spoke was published by Penguin this January…16-year-old Zuni Chopra’s childhood fantasy involved her combing through dense forests or crossing the Antarctic, looking for a great, big adventure. But, “being an explorer meant being frequent close with bugs and that didn’t quite work for me, so then I decided to be a writer. How else could I explore the whole world sitting in my bedroom?”
The House that Spoke is a fantasy novel set in Kashmir. “I wanted to bring out the truth about Kashmir as that is where I originally come from, to show that it is a beautiful place where a fantasy could be set. Of course, you need to take into account its political history, but I am not making a political statement. I don’t think I have gained enough knowledge to make one,” she adds thoughtfully.
Writers Lewis Carroll, Neil Gaiman and J. K. Rowling are Zuni’s heroes—also her guides. She turns to her father, film producer and director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for honest opinions, “He judges me objectively, which I appreciate, because sugarcoating doesn’t make sense, particularly when you are trying to grow.”
Sharing her joy of reading and the wonder that her craft inspires in her, she says: “You can create whole worlds out of words. They are often deeper and memorable, over films, for example.”
This 11th grader is now working on a book of short stories and teaching English—writing and storytelling—to kids at the Maharashtra Mitra Mandal Library, down the road from her Bandra home. “It’s really fun, I’ve made some good friends, and we have a great time.”
1. Why did Zuni Chopra choose writing?| A．She had a fear for adventure. | B．It was a dream from her childhood. |
| C．She can hardly live out of her bedroom. | D．She wanted to explore the world somehow. |
| A．Making some commercial comments. | B．A fantasy that happened in Kashmir. |
| C．The happy stories of his childhood. | D．Kashmir’s political history. |
| A．To get rid of something harmful. |
| B．Trying something new and challenging. |
| C．To make something unpleasant seem attractive. |
| D．Judging something or somebody according to one’s likes. |
| A．Brave and generous. | B．Inspiring and helpful |
| C．Humorous and energetic. | D．Demanding and hopeful. |
【推荐2】From my hotel room window, I see an oversized billboard with his face on it: Jason, the Great Magician.
I absent-mindedly turn the pages of the phone book and come across a city map. Sipping my iced latté, I run my fingers along the streets from the hotel to the opera hall. Not more than a half-hour walk.
I glance at the clock. The show starts in one hour. Plenty of time! I gulp the last three sips of my latté and hop in the shower. Soon I’m on my way to the show, carrying a fancy black handbag and a genuine smile.
The billboard looks even more impressive from outside. The Great Jason's eyes seem to be glancing through me. I shiver and walk faster. I feel like a child about to open her birthday presents.
The hall is dark when I come in; the show is about to begin. I make my way backstage just as the great magician puts on his top hat.
''Daddy, I'm so glad to see you, '' I say in a half-whisper. ''I'm in town for the writer’s workshop, but I just couldn't miss your show. '' I give him a quick hug and go back into the seating area, leaving him with a startled smile. I settle down in the darkness, and the curtains open.
Magically, that show remains the Great Jason's best performance to this day.
1. The underlined sentence indicates the writer is .| A．embarrassed and hesitant | B．brave and determined |
| C．nervous and excited | D．surprised and frightened |
| A．To go to the workshop. | B．To visit the magician. |
| C．To enjoy the performance. | D．To help people in need. |
| A．The person the writer will work with. | B．The father of the writer. |
| C．The greatest performer ever. | D．The unknown magician. |
【推荐3】Whatever life threw at us each year, our family had one tradition at Christmas: our dog Pepper opened our presents for us.
Last year, everyone made it home for a Christmas get-together. However, it couldn’t feel perfect because Pepper’s health was becoming worse. Her life had already been longer than we expected-she was fourteen-and yet her mind was still sharp. Her love for life made us feel better. But her body could not keep up with her mind.
Probably it was Pepper’s last Christmas, so we decided to make sure she would enjoy it. On Christmas Eve, we each prepared presents for her.
Soon, Pepper selected her first Christmas gift. She turned the present, just as she was a young dog once more. She pulled the paper off the dog treat before she chewed (咀嚼) it slowly. Our family was so happy.
Pepper saw the remaining three presents, and then turned to Mom as if asking, “May I open another?”
“Go ahead, girl!” Mom encouraged.
For the next few minutes, Pepper opened each of her Christmas presents. While she did, she reminded us of the joy of being together. Our family felt as a whole-not because we were in the same room or city, but because our love brought us together.
Pepper passed away after Christmas. Her peaceful passing made us tearful. Her passing was also a celebration of life, because she gave my family so much love and laughter.
I still treasure Pepper’s final Christmas gift. She taught me that no matter where we each spend the holidays, the smallest act of sincere giving can unite our family through our love. For me, that knowledge is the longest-lasting gift of all.
1. Why did the author think the Christmas wasn’t perfect last year?| A．Pepper was in poor health. |
| B．Pepper died on Christmas Eve. |
| C．He didn’t get a Christmas gift. |
| D．His family didn’t feel as a whole. |
| A．Four. | B．Three. |
| C．Two. | D．One. |
| A．The life lesson the author learned from Pepper. |
| B．The Christmas present for the dog. |
| C．The holiday spent with family. |
| D．The friendship with the dog. |
| A．Enjoying the Happiness of Making Friends |
| B．The Importance of Helping Others |
| C．Celebrating Christmas |
| D．The Power of Love |
【推荐1】I came to Russia to study in the winter last year. My university is located in Moscow, the capital of Russia, which is a city with a long history.
The second I stepped out of the airport, I immediately felt how freezing cold it was outside than China.
The first challenge was the language barrier. After leaning Russian in China, I realized that my skills were nowhere near enough. I was not fluent in Russian, sometimes causing misunderstandings.
However, the artistic atmosphere in Russia is very strong.
In a nutshell, living abroad means overcoming all kinds of difficulties. The experience will always leave a colorful shade in our lives. Just as the old saying in Chinese goes, “it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.”
| A．Obviously, the freezing climate does not agree with me. |
| B．Starting from early November each year, the snow season in Moscow is very long. |
| C．Take a look at the outside world while you are young! |
| D．I can visit many of the attractions that I used to see in my textbooks and performances I used to watch only on TV. |
| E．Thanks to the abundant activities I get to explore what I’ve learned in practical contexts and improve my language proficiency. |
| F．And the buildings surrounding me looked so different from the ones in China too. |
| G．The cultural differences were also hard to deal with at first. |
【推荐2】My family and I never talked about school as the ticket to a future. I was in the classrooms, but I wasn’t there to learn to write, read or even speak. When it was my turn to read, I wanted to hide. I was 13 years old, but I already hated being who I was.
I had an English teacher, Mr. Creech, who knew I couldn’t read. In one of my first lessons the teacher said that anyone who had a reading age below six had to stand up. I felt so embarrassed. But at the same time, it made me realize that I needed to change the situation. I was determined it wouldn’t happen again. Later that day, Mr. Creech encouraged me and promised he would try his best to help me learn to read. From then on, I never gave up practicing reading.
Now I was 41 years old. One day, I planned to fly back to Texas to visit my friends and family. On my way from the airport, I saw Mr. Creech buying himself a drink. I rushed over and reached into my pocket to pay for him.”Do I know you?”he asked.”Yes, sir, you do know me,”I answered excitedly.”My name is Anthony Hamilton. You taught me English.”The look on his face told me that he remembered the boy he’d once encouraged.
“I’m so glad I had a chance to see you,”I said.”And Mr. Creech, I have great news to share.”I told him I had learned to read. But that wasn’t all. I had become a published author and an active speaker.”The next time you get another Anthony Hamilton in your classroom, please encourage him to read as well.”I added.
The experts say what once worried me has a name: dyslexia(诵读困难症). But I can tell you it was a lack of desire for education.
1. Why did the author want to hide?| A．Because he didn’t have a ticket. | B．Because he couldn’t read at all. |
| C．Because he felt sorry for himself. | D．Because he hated being laughed at. |
| A．Friendly and humorous. | B．Strict and eager. |
| C．Emotional and devoted. | D．Kind and responsible. |
| A．The author was thankful to Mr. Creech. |
| B．Mr. Creech taught two students called Anthony Hamilton. |
| C．The author had become a published author and an active speaker. |
| D．Dyslexia was the hidden reason that made the author unable to read. |
【推荐3】Why I Love June
Memorial Day has come and gone and June has officially begun. In my mind, that means summer is here—even if the calendar says it doesn’t arrive for another few weeks. How you greet a new season sets the tone for how positively you are prepared to enter into a new time of year.
I can have fun on the beach. I’m a beach lover. I’ve been sticking my feet in the grainy sands of the beach since I was born.
I can breathe easier when I run. There’s something about the June air here that makes me happy. Yes, we get the occasional hot summer day when all we can do is sit still and hope to feel cool, but for the most part, the sun and wind work together to give my lungs a healthy charge while I’m running along the river. It doesn’t have that winter bite that causes me to cough.
I feel happier. It seems silly that the start of a certain month can change my mood, but when my sandals (凉鞋) remind me that my winter boots are hiding in the back of my closet, I feel a sense of joy. You could say the start of summer is like a mini new year for me. It brings life to plans and ideas that I may have been avoiding and gets me out and about.
Thanks, June.
| A．All kinds of plants start growing |
| B．The flowers seem more attractive |
| C．I actually enjoy exercising as a result |
| D．It’s always a place that I associate with enjoyment |
| E．Seasons really can change more than just the weather |
| F．I begin to think about how I feel about this lovely month |
| G．Mother tells me it was on a rainy night in June that I arrived |
【推荐1】The city bus stopped at Centennial Drive to pick up the daily commuters (往返者), a group in which I was included. Boarding the bus, I could hardly find a place to sit in the rush hour, but that day I found a seat near the back. I sat down and read the book “On the Road” I’d been carrying. Next to me was an old man in a black hat like what I always pictured reporters wearing. The man then asked if I’d read any other books like that one from the same era (时代). When I said yes, he seemed to become interested.
He introduced himself as Carl and told me he used to play the trumpet in jazz clubs. He asked if I like jazz, and I told him that I didn’t really listen to it. Waiting for Carl to tell me that I should listen to “real music”, I was shocked when he just nodded and smiled, saying, “you remind me of myself when I was your age. I remember how my parents hated jazz, how they couldn’t see how I could listen to ‘that awful noise’. I bet your parents say the same thing, don’t they?” Now it was my turn to smile, saying how right he was.
All the way, we talked happily. Later we got off the bus. I haven’t seen him since then, but the thought of our connection that day rarely leaves my mind.
Carl taught me that we should make an extra effort to try and get to know our neighbors and people we see every day, regardless of age, or of race or anything else. If we all took the time to attempt to understand each other, I think that the world would be a much better place that we could share together.
1. What can we learn about the author from the first paragraph?| A．He took the crowded city bus regularly. |
| B．He made good use of time to do reading. |
| C．He offered seats to those who were in need. |
| D．He shared opinion with the man next to him. |
| A．likes jazz very much | B．enjoys talking with others |
| C．likes reading books | D．wears a black hat |
| A．Shocked. | B．Satisfied. |
| C．Expected. | D．Impressed. |
| A．Why Carl was friendly to strangers. | B．What the author learned from Carl. |
| C．How Carl affected those around him. | D．When the author respected the elders. |
【推荐2】One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality conflicted with mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My hostility toward that clerk increased with each step.
On the outside, standing by the road, was a darkskinned young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave way immediately. The magnetic power of that smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it” I remarked, in passing. Then, I turned back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Sir, but he doesn’t speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?”
At that moment I felt transformed. The young man’s smile had made a big person of me.
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’”
“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He’ll understand; I am sure!”
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning. From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody.
1. The author left the store angrily because ________.| A．his intended purchases were of poor quality |
| B．there’s nothing he wanted in the shop |
| C．the clerk didn’t speak English |
| D．the clerk didn’t treat him kindly |
| A．attitude | B．hatred |
| C．idea | D．opinion |
| A．He did not want to smile. |
| B．He would thank the young man. |
| C．He smiled back at the young man. |
| D．He was happy to meet the young man. |
| A．help people in trouble | B．practice smiling every day |
| C．smile at others | D．be generous to strangers |
【推荐3】When Aaron Friedland was entering a master’s program in economics at the University of British Columbia, he decided to research whether the distance to school is a major factor leading to higher school dropout rates. So he spent two months living in a rural community in Uganda, regularly trekking (长途跋涉) with a group of kids who walked five miles each day round trip for their education. He deeply felt the hardships of this journey to school.
The experience resulted in more than that planned research paper. He founded a nonprofit The Walking School Bus, dedicated to improving access to education, and he started a crowdfunding campaign to publish this children’s book he wrote with the same title.
Set in South Africa, his story follows siblings Shaka and Nandi. Their father works far away and their mother’s work keeps her in their village. So the kids have no one to walk them to school. The trip is long and dangerous for just two kids. They find inspiration from a toy school bus in the sand. They finally succeed when they realize they can find safety in numbers with other kids and form a walking school bus.
Over the past few years, the nonprofit took off. The book, however, never made it into print until this year. That original text was an unwieldy 128 pages when Friedland brought it to the publisher Greystone Books. “They said, ‘It’s a great idea, but no,’” explains Friedland, who needed to figure out how to rewrite it in a more accessible format. A solution emerged when he connected with Ndileka Mandela. The story resonated with her, and they joined forces on a new version.
I wondered what kids who have an easy commute to school would think of this book. I asked my 8-year-old American daughter — who only needs to walk 10 minutes to her elementary school — to read it. Her reaction: “Kids can be very imaginative and creative, and sometimes you just need more people to be able to get where you want to go. Those kids were really willing to go out of their way to get some education.”
1. What did Friedland want to figure out initially?| A．How the distance to school impacted attendance rates. |
| B．How the students in rural community attended school. |
| C．How the school responded to increasing dropout rate. |
| D．How the program helped to improve access to education. |
| A．Suspicious and honest. | B．Curious and devoted. |
| C．Brave and sympathetic. | D．Caring and determined. |
| A．Boost confidence. | B．Arouse sympathy. | C．Break new ground. | D．Earn reputation. |
| A．To raise the awareness of education. | B．To introduce a children’s book. |
| C．To encourage kids to walk together. | D．To share an unforgettable experience. |
