【推荐1】A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.

I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P. E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and hit a softball. I didn't do either well. He later informed me that I was "not athletic".

The idea that I was "not athletic" stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!

The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn't even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.

Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!

At mile 3, I passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"

By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.

By mile 21, I was starving!

As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.

I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. Actually, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.

Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a "marathon winner".

1. After the author’s ankle was injured, what was he determined to do?

A．quit	B．go ahead
C．have a rest	D．keep calm and walk

2. The author referred to his experience in the 7th year to ______.

A．treasure his precious old days	B．prove his inability in sports then
C．defend himself from prejudice	D．convey his gratitude to the teacher

3. What happened to the author eventually during his first marathon?

A．He succeeded for a strong will.	B．He quit running halfway.
C．He was awarded the first prize.	D．He walked to the end.

4. What did the author feel by mile 23?

A．He passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"

B．He became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely

C．He was starving!

D．He was encouraged by his wife.

5. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．One is never too old to learn.

B．Failure is the mother of success.

C．Family support is the fountain of success.

D．Success can be acquired with a great effort of will.

【推荐3】“Oh, my god. Are you serious?”

That’s a reaction I often get when people hear the tale of my childhood.

It’s a story I don’t often share. Growing up in a bad home, I learned to protect myself by not speaking up. I’ve seldom said anything about how badly I was treated and hurt as a child.

I don’t talk about how my name was changed at least three times, what it was like to live in my van (箱式货车), or how I’ve struggled with anxiety, depression and wanting to kill myself.

But I learnt to start speaking up for myself. I went on to earn two graduate degrees and I will complete my doctorate (博士学位) this year. I’ve also become a widely published author. So, how did I get to where I am today?

What’s helped me is surrounding myself with caring, loving people. I’ve learned day-to-day skills through research, trial and error, and with the help of skilled professionals.

They’ve taught me how to slow down, to breathe, to be thankful for what I’ve got. They’re the ones who make my goals possible. They have also taught me to turn my past experiences into strength—to make the negatives into positives.

My hope is that sharing my story might help others to see what is possible even in the darkest of times and help others to speak out.

I don’t think I’m in any way special or unique. I’m a common man, no more deserving than anyone else. But for far too long, I’ve been afraid that others think I’m damaged goods. I’ve worried about how I might be treated differently.

Pain and fear teach us to be silent. It’s time for that to change.

I don’t know what tomorrow might bring. But one thing I’ve learned is that if we can hold on and find help, if we find ways to get through the day and speak up, we’ll not only survive, but become stronger than before.

Our very survival can be an inspiration all on its own. And with love of my friends, I look forward to so much more than completing my education — I look forward to the future.

1. Why do people react the way they do after hearing the author’s story?

A．Because the author made up the story.

B．Because the author had a miserable early life.

C．Because the author learned to protect himself from children.

D．Because the author was a shy person who didn’t like to share stories.

2. What has helped the author become who he is now?
a. Financial help from charities
b. Choosing positive and helpful people as friends
c. Putting in the effort to learn everyday skills
d. Getting special treatment for depression

A．ab	B．bc
C．abc	D．bcd

3. What has the author learned from his friends?

A．To forget his past experiences

B．To find out his goals by trial and error

C．To see what’s unique about himself

D．To develop a positive attitude toward life.

4. The author wrote this article mainly to ________.

A．show his pride in his achievements

B．share his childhood memories and future expectations

C．encourage people who have suffered to speak up and get help

D．stress that a painful childhood doesn’t necessarily determine your future.

【推荐1】Like many people，I’ve spent much of my life trying various diets and methods of losing weight, some quick and painless, others slow and tiring. most of them including the so-called “cheat day”.

The principle of the cheat day is simple: After going on a diet throughout a week or a month, you can eat anything you like on that day. The day makes all my eating and drinking not only satisfactory but acceptable. After all, I deserve it.

However, the problem for me was that cheat days were never quite that. Either they became happy cheat weeks, cheat months and sometimes cheat years, or they filled me with anxiety of going off-track so that I couldn't truly enjoy them. Using food as a reward only perpetuated my unhealthy relationship with food, and it troubled me in my approach to health.

After struggling for a couple of months, I came to realize the true colors of the cheat day. It goes to extremes — none or all. Also, cheat days imply that foods can be divided into “good” and “bad”. That's why I felt guilty when I had a piece of cake for breakfast instead of fat-free milk. But food, in fact, has no moral (道德的)value. It is simply intended to fill your body and provide nutrition. Hopefully it tastes good, too.

This simple thought has inspired me to quit cheat days. I don't feel worried or ashamed any more and start to reconsider my relationship with food. I just pay more attention to the signs of my stomach, and eat what I desire while being mindful of the health results. Doing away with cheat days lightens my mind and improves my relationship with food.

1. What do people do on a "cheat day”?

A．Tell lies.	B．Eat what they like.
C．Go on a diet.	D．Try gaining weight.

2. What does the underlined word “perpetuated” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Ruined.

B．Continued.

C．Repaired.

D．Improved.

3. What does the author mainly want to tell us?

A．A healthy relationship with food matters.

B．One needn't feel guilty about eating little.

C．“Cheat day” is effective in nutrition control.

D．Losing weight does harm physically and mentally.

【推荐2】Growing up on a farm, I learned from my parents about the large bees we called mangangava. But in college, when I gave a presentation about those bees, I didn’t mention their familiar name; instead I used formal terms when describing their adaptations for pollinating (授粉). I was afraid of being judged for expressing my personal knowledge in a science class. But when the instructor pressed me to tell the class whether I’d seen the bees myself and what I called them, my views and my whole career path began to change. I realized my background was valuable, and that my calling was to help educate others like me.

My parents worked on a small farm and I often helped out when I was not in school. They had a close relationship with nature, something they learned from my grandparents and passed down to me. This was why I became interested in biology.

In college, I joined a series of labs to gain research experience, but my interest in pursuing a career as a scientist began to wane after I realized my research was not helping poor people like my parents. As a black student from a rural community, I also felt out of place in most classes. The feeling of not belonging circled in my head. I sometimes thought about giving up.

My instructor’s request that I share my knowledge of the mangangava bee changed my view. She saw that tapping into my personal experiences would help me grasp the scientific concepts. No other professor had shown that kind of sensitivity, which helped me realize I did have a place in higher education and that I didn’t need to hide who I truly am.

I’m now a master’s student in education? working on a project that explores the connection between science and traditional knowledge. I don’t think I’d be here if I hadn’t crossed paths with my instructor. We need more educators and scientists like her-people who can serve as role models and know that the best way to nurture new scientists is to allow students to be themselves.

1. What did the author initially think of his background when in college?

A．It was of little use for his college studies.

B．It motivated him to carry on his research.

C．It gave him an advantage over others.

D．It was something he wanted to hide.

2. What does the underlined word “wane” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Remain.

B．Withdraw.

C．Fade.

D．Rise.

3. What should a good educator do according to the author?

A．Value students’ personal knowledge and views.

B．Inspire students to work as hard as he or she does.

C．Treat students from different backgrounds equally.

D．Be equipped with rich knowledge of a certain field.

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

A．The family is one of the nature’s masterpiece.

B．Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

C．A good teacher is better than ten thousand books.

D．It’s only after having a proper education that one becomes a person.

【推荐3】I was 17 when I discovered shooting stars.

I loved them so much that I invited my high school friends to my family farm and spent an August night in our sleeping bags on the hillside to watch them together.

I can’t help but think of that as the final night of my childhood. I always managed to squeeze in a week or two of vacation before starting back at school, and I’d see shooting stars and remember that brilliant night on the hill. While still marveling at them, I’d work at convincing myself that the joy I’d experience from my accomplishments in college would soon replace my longing for some quiet time beneath a vast sky. But always, I returned to college life in August with deep sadness in my heart.

I’ve given lots of reasons over the past 13 years for my choice to live an independent life on a distant farm and home school my daughters. But deep down, I think the shooting stars had a lot to do with it. I couldn’t bear to gaze up at them and think that they were a finale to be witnessed before returning to the demands of school and careers.

So I said “no” to all of it: no jobs, no school. And I decided to lead a life tied to the seasons, where shooting stars were just one of many gifts from nature.

I changed my life to make room for them and I’m starting to learn the difference between fulfillment and accomplishment.

Accomplishment is a child’s successful test scores. Fulfillment is loving and forgiving each other through times table (乘法表)and written words.

Accomplishment is the publication of 20 essays per year and six books, Fulfillment is the hours spent researching, then walking through the woods to think about each word and thought.

Accomplishment is making enough income to cover my taxes. Fulfillment is sitting outside at 3 am in August, watching the shooting stars, no longer sad at the passage of childhood, but thrilled for the joy of the stars.

It is learned that accomplishment is merely a mark in the book made as a result of following fulfillment above all else.

1. What does the author believe indicates the end of her childhood?

A．Departing for college.	B．Witnessing falling stars at home.
C．Resting in a sleeping bag on a farm.	D．Observing shooting stars with friends.

2. What led to the author homeschooling her daughters?

A．The aspiration for independence.

B．The necessity of residing on a farm.

C．The wish for a lifestyle connected with nature.

D．The requirements of education and professions.

3. Which of the following could the author view as fulfillment?

A．Earning a gold medal in a sports tournament.

B．Investing meaningful time with family members.

C．Acquiring a spacious, charming, and cozy residence.

D．Attaining a prominent position in a famous company.

4. What kind of person is the author?

A．Independent and unconventional.	B．Determined and open-minded.
C．Responsible and insightful.	D．Diligent and dedicated.

【推荐2】I waited half an hour, set the board, and sat in the studio, reviewing my questions until the telephone lines flashed.

“Hello ?”

“This is Connie Chung. I’m so sorry I’m late.”

Connie Chung was one of the only four women anchors （主播） to make it into the club of major evening network television news. For almost an hour we talked about the industry. When I asked if she ever had an instructor throughout her trials, she turned around and offered to instruct me. When I asked why she decided to do it, she simply replied, “Because you’re good.”

That afternoon I rushed home and told my mother what had happened. Without looking up, she just said “Good for you.” Hearing this, I felt a sense of loss.   Her consistent response always made me feel under-appreciated.

Until then I had been searching for something that I would never get—that sense of love and acceptance in a house full of negativity （消极）.

I knew I needed to get rid of all the negativity in my life first, so I packed my bags and walked out of the house, thinking a risk would allow me to open myself to the world again and receive all the positive energy that I needed.

Then radio became my way of connecting with others. My ability to book high-level guests and celebrities（名人）was gradually recognized and eventually all the words of encouragement from past guests and colleagues helped me to re-build my confidence levels. “I can do this,” I kept telling myself, and pushed even harder to find my next aim.

People had faith in me, so I developed faith in myself. Their positive attitudes towards themselves and towards me helped me develop my own positive attitude, leading to productive interactions with celebrities and adding to my list of instructors.

I may not have started life surrounded by positivity but I surely feel that I am surrounded by it now. It’ s amazing how positivity builds on itself.

1. What was the author probably doing at the beginning of the text?

A．He was preparing for a show.	B．He was looking for an instructor.
C．He was waiting to be interviewed.	D．He was broadcasting news in the studio.

2. How did the author’s mother react when told about Connie’s decision?

A．She felt excited.	B．She didn’t believe it.
C．She was very grateful.	D．She didn’t take it seriously.

3. Why did the author leave home?

A．To broaden his view.	B．To escape punishment.
C．To keep away from negativity.	D．To set up a home of his own.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Strength of Positivity	B．My Goal in Career
C．My Ability in Management	D．The Friendship Between Anchors

【推荐3】My high school life has been filled with many ups and downs, whether it was social or academic. Even though it was not my first choice, I never regretted attending Dragon Up High School. “Since you have chosen it, then it is the best for you,’’ said my parents.

Up until the junior year I did not perform well as a student, even though I had been told that my junior year would be the toughest in all the years of high school. With this “little” piece of information, I walked into my junior year, frightened of my grades. As weeks went by, I started to believe that the junior year was not as hard as everyone had said, but I was wrong. My grades were rapidly declining and by the end of the first term I did a terrible job. I could not believe it. I tried my best to get my grades up myself without any help from anyone, but my pride just made my grades worse. I was heartbroken. I realized that I could not survive my junior year on my own.

Fortunately, my English teacher Rey helped me a lot and gave me much courage and advice. I slowly started to gain my confidence back in all of my classes and even myself. By the time the third and fourth quarter came around, I had been on the honor roll twice, and I was receiving awards from speeches and debates, tennis and school.

Dragon Up has taught me to always keep my head up and never give up on myself no matter what life throws at me. I am proud to be a real dragon.

1. From the first paragraph, we can learn that ______.

A．the writer always thought Dragon Up High School was the best.

B．the writer’s parents persuaded her into attending Dragon Up High School.

C．the writer has met many challenges since she attended high school.

D．life has become easier since the writer came to Dragon Up High School.

2. How did the writer feel when she walked into her junior year?

A．Confident

B．Worried

C．Curious

D．Uninterested.

3. Why was the writer’s study worse and worse?

A．She didn’t work hard enough.	B．She didn’t ask others for help because of pride.
C．She missed her old friends.	D．No one would like to help her.

4. What important lesson has the writer learned at Dragon Up High School?

A．Students should face challenges bravely.	B．Students should be careful in choosing school.
C．Students should be proud of their school.	D．Students should better learn about life.