When I spent the summer with my grandmother, she always set me down to the general store with a list. Behind the counter was a lady like no one I’d ever seen.
“Excuse me,” I said. She looked up and said, “I’m Miss Bee.”
“I need to get these.” I said, holding up my list. “So? Go get them.” Miss Bee pointed to a sign. “There’s no one here except you and me and I’m not your servant, so get yourself a basket from that pile.”
I visited Miss Bee twice a week that summer. Sometimes she shortcharged me. Other times she overcharged. Going to the store was like going into battle. All summer long she found ways to trick me. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce “bicarbonate of soda” and memorized its location on the shelves than she made me hunt for it all over again. But by summer’s end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes.
“All right, little girl,” she said. “What did you learn this summer?” “That you’re a meanie (小气鬼)!” I replied. Miss Bee just laughed and said, “I know what you think of me. Well, I don’t care! My job is to teach every child I meet life lessons. When you get older you’ll be glad!” Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd…
Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles. “It’s too hard,” she said. “Could you finish my math problems for me?”
“If I do it for you, how will you ever learn to do it yourself?” I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to add up my bill by myself. Had I ever been overcharged since?
1. What did the author’s grandmother always ask her to do during her summer vacation?| A．Go to see the lady in a store. | B．Make lists for her shopping. |
| C．Buy something in the general store. | D．Send lists to the lady in the general store. |
| A．Teaching kids lessons was Miss Bee’s job at that time. |
| B．She neither shortcharged the author nor overcharged her. |
| C．Her tricks made the author finish shopping in a shorter time. |
| D．She used to learn to pronounce the names of some goods in the store. |
| A．express her opposition to Miss Bee |
| B．tell readers Miss Bee’s influence on her |
| C．show her satisfaction with her kid’s homework |
| D．inform readers of her irresponsibility for her kid |
| A．A Precious Lesson By Meanie | B．Being a Responsible Mother |
| C．Making a Meaningful Life List | D．An Unforgettable Summer Travel |
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【推荐1】There is a cry of anger, and a tennis racket crashes to the ground. Jake, age 7, has just lost another match and is now in tears beside the court. His sister Sally, just one year older, looks at her mother and rolls her eyes: it is hard to enjoy winning when this keeps happening. It is not an unusual situation, and it is one reason why many people argue that competition is bad for children. However, the truth is that competitive games are a valuable preparation for adult life.
Games with winners and losers give children the chance to experience life’s ups and downs. Take Jake, for example. Even though he is unhappy now, he will probably be smiling and laughing with his sister in a few minutes, just like the last time this happened. Gradually, he will learn that the world does not end when you lose a game. Eventually, he may even be able to lose with a smile on his face. This is an important lesson. Not everything in life goes the way you would like, and it is important to know how to handle disappointment when it occurs.
Children who participate in competitive games develop qualities that allow them to succeed in the complex world of adult life. For example, one of the missions of the Youth Olympic Games is to inspire young people to adopt the Olympic values, which include striving, determination and optimism. Competition creates a desire to do better. Children have to learn to succeed in a competitive atmosphere in order to take advantage of opportunities in the future. Although it is possible to win by chance occasionally, people who win and keep winning work very hard to achieve their success.
On the negative side, there are those who will say that competition actually encourages some values, which does happen. It is common to see sports competition in which the desire to win has replaced the desire to have fun. You may even see very young children playing violently----like the superstars they see on TV. While the bad behavior of young athletes is troubling, the problem is not the competition itself. In reality, the blame lies with the professional players who are bad role models for these children. In fact, a recent study of young athletes by the school of Physical Health Education at the University of Wyoming showed an improvement in mood after exercise, athletes were less depressed or tense.
Of course, there are parents who argue that children of Jake’s age are too young to handle the pain of losing. But whether we like it or not, adult life is very competitive, and keeping children away from competition does them more harm than good. If children do not learn how to compete, they will be defeated by people who can. It is an unfortunate fact of life: whether ten or a hundred people want the same job, there can be only one winner. Wouldn’t you want your child to be that person?
1. Competitive games prepare children for their adult life by_______| A．enabling them to know to handle life’s ups and downs |
| B．allowing them to succeed in the complex world of adult life |
| C．Ending their feeling about the world when they lose |
| D．Helping them to smile even when they are disappointed |
| A．Competitions develop children’s qualities to succeed in their future life |
| B．the Olympic Values should be promoted among young people |
| C．Taking advantages of future opportunities makes one desire to do better |
| D．Only by working hard to keep winning can one achieve true success |
| A．The desire to win | B．The desire to have fun |
| C．Good role models | D．An improvement in mood |
| A．They should learn how to handle pain of losing |
| B．Children should know earlier the competitive adult life |
| C．They shouldn’t keep children away from competition |
| D．They should encourage their children to get the job |
【推荐2】I go grocery shopping nearly every day. That day I was trying desperately to find a good tomato. I finally grabbed the best one I could find. Backing away from the counter with it in hand. I wasn’t paying attention. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” I said as I nearly fell over a woman in an electric cart. Many stores have started providing electric cars for those who have difficulty getting around. “Oh, that’s okay. I’m used to it. they need to put horns(喇叭)on these things,” she said with a smile. “We are positioned a bit lower and somewhat out of view. They are also so quiet that often people just don’t hear us coming. But I don’t know what I’d do without one. Oh, what a beautiful tomato it is ! I used to grow tomatoes. But this year I just couldn’t do it any more.”
“I’m sorry for your challenges. It must be frustrating.” I said.
“Well, it all requires a change in attitude, I could spend my time thinking about what I can’t do any more, or spend it on what new things I can do. I loved gardening. Besides my vegetable I also planted many flowers. All those years of love and attention kept them strong, so my work paid off,” the old woman replied.
“I love your attitude,” I added. “But tell me, what new things have you discovered? You said you needed to focus on new things you could do.” “Well, I can go to the grocery store and make new friends by running into perfect strangers with my cart,” she said. “What I’ve discovered is that I can’t grow flowers any more, but I can paint flowers. When I hang my flowers paintings on the wall, the fresh scent stays in my soul. Since I can’t get around as much and they are just there, we are a perfect match.”
“Just like meeting you, my friend. You added beauty to my day and will brighten the dark corners of my memory just when I need it most,” I told her.
1. The electric cars in the stores are used to _________.| A．give short people a good view | B．help the disabled get around easily |
| C．carry goods out of the store | D．warn people of danger |
| A．she didn’t like growing vegetables | B．she liked planting flowers |
| C．she had difficulty in gardening | D．she had no room to do so |
| A．Hard-working | B．Friendly |
| C．Optimistic | D．Bored |
| A．her electric cart | B．the flower in her garden |
| C．her flower paintings | D．the strangers she met in the stores |
【推荐3】A man may usually be known by the books he reads es well as by the company he keeps.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change.
People often discover their common characteristics by the mutual love for a book. As an old proverb goes, “Love me, love my book.”
Books are by far the most lasting products of human efforts. Temples and statues may fall into ruin, but books will survive.
The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens.
| A．Their spirits walk among us. |
| B．Books introduce us into the best society. |
| C．Great thoughts will never fade over time. |
| D．It is the most patient and cheerful companion. |
| E．The book is a truer and higher bond of relationships. |
| F．The world of a man’s life is the world of his thoughts. |
| G．One should always live in the company of best books and best men. |
【推荐1】Because my stories keep my heart pounding at night with the possibility of it all, when I can’t get words on paper, I want to scream. All my energy pools at the bottom of my heart, where it continues to yell at me all day long, “Write! Write! Write!” I have to quiet the voice like a hidden pet, shushing (发嘘声) it over and over until I get the chance to leave, laptop in hand, stories pouring out of my mind.
What poor, unfortunate lives we artists live! We’re tortured by our words, whether they’re circling around in our minds at 3 a.m. or written on paper, looking sad and regretful that we’ve put them there. Our words laugh at us before and after they leave our bodies. I messaged a writing mentor (导师) when I found myself running in circles. With only a small window of time to myself each afternoon, I found it hard to write. If only I had more time, I could finish my book. If only people would leave me alone. I could become an accomplished writer. It was everyone else’s fault.
Small -- my mentor told me to start small but keep going. “Do what you can, when you can. Let that be enough during the busy seasons.” In her eyes, she was once me. She was once crazy with tasks that kept her hands pushing, pulling, grabbing and moving endlessly. She recognized herself in the way I talked with starry eyes about my dreamy writing goals and plans. Essays, articles and short stories flowered in my rich mind.
In a few wise words, she gave me the freedom to write in small periods of time she called “the cracks of the day”. She argued that I should run after publishing with the same desire as ever. But in her patient voice, I heard a gentle reminder of stopping running so hard and instead slowing to a sustainable pace.
So I write. I submit. I live, and I dream.
1. What can we infer about the author from the first paragraph?| A．She is forced to write constantly. |
| B．She has a strong desire to write. |
| C．She has serious heart problems. |
| D．She is unable to focus on reading. |
| A．Examined. | B．Inspired. | C．Troubled. | D．Impressed. |
| A．Almost no one likes her writing. |
| B．She couldn’t make a living by writing stories. |
| C．She has no one to rely on. |
| D．She suffered from a serious lack of time. |
| A．Constant drops wear away a stone. | B．All roads lead to Rome. |
| C．Strike while the iron is hot. | D．No pains, no gains. |
【推荐2】Why do I volunteer with Big brothers / Big sisters of America? I have many reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is that people once volunteered to help me.
Years ago, I was on the other side of the table. I was lonely and I felt lost. It’s a little embarrassing to talk about it now, but whatever the right direction in life was, I was going the opposite way. More than once, I found myself on the wrong path. If someone hadn’t stepped in when he did, I probably wouldn’t even be here now. I’d rather be in a prison or somewhere a lot smaller and deeper.
I’ve seen the work that big brothers / sisters have been doing all over the country and I’m pleased to be part of it. I’ve never done anything that made me prouder than my volunteer work. Big brothers and sisters helped me get over sadness and depression as soon as possible. Then, if I can help anyone like they helped me, I am willing to serve for as long as they will have me serve them. There are no words to describe the joy I get from helping somebody turn their life around. Every time I think that that’s me now, I’m proud and happy.
Volunteering is how I want to leave my mark on the world. I recommend volunteering work to everybody, especially to somebody who isn’t sure where they are going in life. Helping someone find their path is often the best way to find yours. Be a volunteer, and you will find your purpose in life.
1. What’s the main reason why the writer volunteers?| A．He is grateful for what volunteers once did for him. |
| B．He is lonely and wants to be with others. |
| C．He wants others to know he is a good man. |
| D．He has a lot of free time. |
| A．is eager to help others |
| B．often feels sad and depressed |
| C．hopes he will be helped at any time |
| D．travels around the country to help others |
| A．spent some days in prison |
| B．is dissatisfied with his life |
| C．didn’t know his purpose in life |
| D．doesn’t live a meaningful life |
| A．To share his past with us. |
| B．to ask for some volunteer work. |
| C．To encourage us to enjoy our life. |
| D．To call on us to do volunteer work. |
【推荐3】I went to the bus station for a long trip yesterday. Feeling very bored, I had nothing to do but wait on the bus as there was still about half an hour to go. But it gave my curious eyes enough time to look around. The bus station is a noisy and restless world, where people from all walks of life come and go. Looking around, I saw people saying goodbye to their families and peddlers (商贩) selling their bottled water. My sight finally rested on a girl who sat by the window on the bus next to mine and buried herself in a book.
The moment I caught sight of her, my heart just skipped a beat. And then, it beat so fast. All that just happened in the blink of an eye. We were about four meters away from each other and only blocked by the windows of our buses, but I could not have a clear view of her face from behind, only a view of her back. I thought that she was young for vigor of youth from her long hair.
She kept reading without a move, so I supposed what she was reading was so appealing that she did not move her sight a little except for turning over the pages. She paid attention neither to the crowd outside nor to the passing of time. It is actually rare to see a young woman concentrating on reading in such a noisy bus station and what she was reading doesn’t matter. It was really a touching picture since in this material world there are still people willing to sit quietly and read. Which one of us would like to find time to read since we have long been distant from books, the carrier of words?
The time finally came with a bell ringing. Maybe I could never see her again, but this beautiful encounter should last in my memory for the rest of my life.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．The author enjoys waiting alone at the bus station. |
| B．The author and the girl were on two different buses. |
| C．The author was curious about passengers’ different jobs. |
| D．The author was attracted by the girl’s back at first sight. |
| A．Her reading habit was similar to the author’s. |
| B．She showed no interest in material possessions. |
| C．She didn’t feel bored when waiting for the bus to go. |
| D．Her absorption in a book was distinctive in the noisy world. |
| A．Knowledgeable and elegant. | B．Focused and devoted. |
| C．Helpful and kind. | D．Young and energetic. |
| A．A Magic Encounter | B．A Trip to Remember |
| C．A Book to Be Opened | D．A Beauty by the Window |
【推荐1】As a child, I never considered myself an athlete at all as I was very uncoordinated (不协调的). However, I did love to run because I felt as if I was flying but this all changed two years ago when I suffered a knee injury. I was bedridden for two weeks and I had a difficult time moving even short distances. I literally cried myself on my way to the car for a few days.
When therapy wasn’t working well for me, I signed up for a hot yoga class for girls, Bikram Yoga to be exact. Starting a yoga practice was truly a godsend because it helped me gain strength in my knees but, most importantly, yoga helped me attain a more peaceful state of mind, body and spirit.
Since each class was heated to 105°F, every time I stepped foot in the yoga studio, I’d feel a surge (涌起) of negative thoughts come upon me like a big ocean wave. Some of these thoughts were, in the beginning of my practice, so strong that I walked out of the class several times. However, as the months passed by, I noticed that when I didn’t get swayed away by my negative thoughts, I could stay in the hot room for longer.
After 3-4 months of practicing hot yoga, my arms and legs were beginning to get definition. I also woke up with so much more energy than I had before starting my yoga practice and I gradually started shedding the pounds from my body. Yoga literally made me feel as if I’d taken a shot of energy drink and just gave me that burst that helped my knees heal and made my overall health better.
As I saw some of my classmates do poses that looked appealing to me, I started to think maybe I could do them too. Therefore, yoga helped show me that I have no real limitations physically unless I set those limitations myself through eating junk and thinking in negative limiting terms.
Also, practicing yoga in front of a mirror helped me connect with myself and practicing with a group of people really helped me to feel a greater sense of connection with humanity whereas before I didn’t. Overall, this yoga practice has helped me to see I’m part of a bigger picture in life!
1. What once depressed the author terribly?| A．Her inability to walk. |
| B．Her being uncoordinated. |
| C．Her failure to find her car. |
| D．Her serious physical disease. |
| A．She got emotionally smarter. |
| B．She felt limited but hopeful. |
| C．She became mentally stronger. |
| D．She accepted herself as she was. |
| A．The temperature was difficult to control in yoga class. |
| B．She couldn’t bear the pain the knee injury brought. |
| C．She was greatly influenced by negative thoughts. |
| D．Lack of confidence prevented the author doing yoga. |
| A．She did better than her classmates at school. |
| B．Her physical state has acquired a new outlook. |
| C．She has developed many healthy eating habits. |
| D．Her social circle was widened in the yoga classes. |
| A．To call on readers to sign up for yoga courses. |
| B．To present the benefits of practicing yoga regularly. |
| C．To show readers the necessary skills needed to do yoga. |
| D．To share with readers her experience in taking yoga classes. |
【推荐2】The annual college graduation season is just drawing to a close. As most of this year’s graduates were born in 2000 or 2001, they are the first of the “00’s generation” to leave the campus and enter the workplace.
These graduates also have a second defining characteristic: three of their four years of college life were dominated by the COVID-19 epidemic, so they stayed home to take online classes or were quarantined in their dormitories. Some said they were surprised to have graduated without having eaten in every one of their school’s canteens.
Those factors have left two marks on them: a sense of security due to a favorable economic environment and anxiety caused by the pandemic and increased job competition. Zhang Xiaojing, who was born in September 2000, graduated from Beijing Jiaotong University with a bachelor’s in Internet journalism. Like her peers, she is skilled in the use of a range of news software, self-media platforms and social media apps. The huge amount of information flowing from the Internet meant that even from her earliest days at university she learned to think, be discerning and plan.
“My generation is exposed to too much information, so when making future life choices, we need a stronger ability to choose from information. If you make a big life choice in a confused way, the risks are bigger than before,” she said.
With a plan for her future career in mind, she began an internship in the summer of her sophomore year. After trying five different companies and units including iQiyi, Tencent and traditional media she decided to undertake postgraduate study.
“School is a very special period when we can learn social behavior and even make mistakes. We still have a lot of experience,” she said. “There is still much to experience and explore before settling on a specific career path.” With this in mind, she valued taking the time to gain more exposure and try different areas.
1. What is the defining characteristic of the “00’s generation” college graduates?| A．Their ability to adapt to online classes during the pandemic. |
| B．Their proficiency in various news software and social media apps. |
| C．Their sense of security due to a favorable economic environment. |
| D．Their anxiety caused by increased job competition. |
| A．The need for critical thinking and exploration. |
| B．The importance of gaining exposure and trying different areas. |
| C．The risks associated with making confused life choices. |
| D．The value of informed decision-making to avoid unnecessary risks. |
| A．Her desire for practical experience in various industries. |
| B．The opportunities for personal growth during college. |
| C．The need to gain exposure and explore different areas. |
| D．The consideration of different career paths through internships. |
| A．The importance of gaining practical experience through internships. |
| B．The need for informed decision-making in the face of overwhelming information. |
| C．The value of taking time to explore different areas before settling on a career path. |
| D．The challenges faced by the “00’s generation” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
【推荐3】When I was little, my dad would let me sit beside him on the porch while he painted. He would tell me how the cow by itself is just a cow, and the meadow by itself is just grass and flowers, and the sun peeking through the trees is just a beam of light, but put them all together and you’ve got magic.
I understood what he was saying, but I’ve never felt what he was saying until one day when I was up in the sycamore tree to rescue a kite stuck in the branches. It was a long way up, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I started climbing. Then I looked down. And suddenly I got dizzy and weak. I was miles off the ground! But the kite was still beyond my reach. I caught my breath and forced myself to concentrate on the kite as I climbed up.
When I had the kite free, I needed a minute to rest. That’s when the fear of being up so high began to lift, and in its place came the most amazing feeling that I was flying. Just soaring above the earth, sailing among the clouds.
Then I began to notice how wonderful the breeze smelled. It seemed like sunshine and wild grass and rain! I couldn’t stop breathing it in, filling my lungs again and again with the sweetest smell I’d ever known.
I never got over the view. I kept thinking of what it felt like to be up so high in that tree. I wanted to see it, to feel it, again. And again.
It wasn’t long before I wasn’t afraid of being up so high and found the spot that became my spot. I could sit there for hours, just looking out at the world. Sunsets were amazing. Some days they’d be purple and pink, some days they’d be a blazing orange, setting fire to clouds across the horizon.
It was on a day like that when my father’s notion (观念) moved from my head to my heart. The view from my sycamore was more than rooftops and clouds and wind and colors combined.
And I started marveling (惊奇) at how I was feeling both humble and majestic. How was that possible? How could I be so full of peace and full of wonder?
It was magic.
1. Why did the author climb up the sycamore tree?| A．To play in the tree. | B．To get a trapped kite. |
| C．To prove her courage. | D．To practice climbing skills. |
| A．unusual but painful | B．competitive and imaginative |
| C．adventurous but rewarding | D．well-planned and interesting |
| A．Because the tree had the sweetest smell. |
| B．Because it could help her to concentrate. |
| C．Because her father encouraged her to do so. |
| D．Because she could enjoy more than good views. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Positive action leads to happiness. |
| C．Beautiful things don’t ask for attention. |
| D．The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. |
