Occasionally, life can be impossibly difficult, and it can be hard to keep going. But you always have a choice.
In 2012, I got a call from my family saying that my father’s cancer had fiercely progressed. He died only six months later. My father was a complete inspiration to me. He was always so strong that I honestly thought he would come back to life. I couldn’t believe I would never again hug him.
Shortly after that, my oldest sister complained of a backache. The doctors discovered that she had highly advanced cancer in her bones and that there was nothing they could do. She died a month later. She was my favorite person in the whole world. I never thought I would have to live without her. I was overcome by the shock and extreme heartbreak. Then, something was wrong with my knees and I ended up in the hospital myself.
I remember lying in the hospital bed, looking up at the ceiling and seeing my sister’s beautiful face. I realized that night that I had a choice. I could end my life or I could live it. I looked in my sister’s eyes and decided not to go with her just yet. I decided to stay and complete my journey here. I also decided that I would live the life that I absolutely longed for.
I now live in an adorable cottage with an amazing boyfriend. I spend quality time with the rest of my precious family and cherish every moment I have with them. I connect with my heart often to ensure that I am following my joy. I love myself more deeply every day. Not a day goes by when I don’t miss my father’s huge character or my beloved sister’s gentle eyes, but I know that I will be with them one day. What I have now is so precious that I must grasp the joy in every moment I can.
You choose life every day. But do you choose the life that you love every day?
1. What did the author once suffer from?| A．A heart attack. | B．A backache. |
| C．A knee problem. | D．A bone cancer. |
| A．By your career. | B．By your attitude. |
| C．By your health. | D．By your family. |
| A．Lonely but ambitious. | B．Miserable but easy-going. |
| C．Hopeless but humorous. | D．Unlucky but positive. |
| A．Escape the Fate | B．Love Your Life |
| C．Make a Living | D．Remember Every Moment |
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【推荐1】When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.
But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy I shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received. I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.
Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.
After surviving terrible experiences at school and at home, I made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.
Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone's life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.
1. What was the author's life like when he was 12?| A．Boring. | B．Unpleasant. |
| C．Peaceful. | D．Meaningful. |
| A．It made him popular in his town. |
| B．It helped him understand others' lives better. |
| C．It helped him find the meaning of life. |
| D．It helped to shape his dream career. |
| A．He wanted to share his school experiences. |
| B．He could pass positive energy to readers. |
| C．He was inspired by his teacher. |
| D．He found he had a talent for writing. |
| A．Say 'no' to bullies bravely. |
| B．Make positive changes in their lives. |
| C．Learn to care more about others' feelings. |
| D．Treat others with kindness in daily life. |
【推荐2】I got the opportunity to pursue an unmatchable educational vision at Stanford University. I was flooded with feelings of relief and excitement. It was a miracle that the American Dream had exposed its colors in my favor.
Upon arrival at the campus, ambition burned within me. I imagined becoming President of the Student Union, a member of Cardinal Calypso, and so on. I wanted Stanford to be a place for me to really learn about the vast world.
I was extremely occupied beyond the classroom. As an active member of nearly twelve VSOs (Voluntary Service Overseas), I could hardly focus on my study. Ultimately, my academic journey at Stanford was characterized by a lack of consistency (连贯性). The letter informing me of my academic suspension (停学) did not come as a surprise.I knew I would have to face consequences.
Fortunately, Infomineo, a research organization, offered me the opportunity to complete a six-month internship (实习) . This experience has done wonders for me, giving me insight into who I am, what I want to do, where I want to be, and how I can get there. I should have known that the freshman year is about testing out courses and extra-curriculars, and that each decision should end up helping me in the future.
Most significantly, I’ve learned big changes are born of little consistencies. This is what I will carry for the rest of my life, especially at Stanford University. Consistently attending professors’ classes or routinely setting aside time to review notes outside the classroom. This is where I stand now, and ready to tackle Stanford again. This time, with clearer sight of how to accomplish my goals, I feel that I have detected and revealed a new power within me.
1. How did the author feel when arriving at Stanford?| A．Excited and nervous. |
| B．Grateful and curious. |
| C．Ambitious and hopeful. |
| D．Relieved and puzzled. |
| A．He was rejected by the Student Union. |
| B．He failed to meet academic requirements. |
| C．He was burdened with heavy schoolwork. |
| D．He managed to establish voluntary groups. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Beneficial. | C．Fruitless. | D．Risky. |
| A．Dreams work wonders. |
| B．Changes promote progress. |
| C．Consistencies make the difference. |
| D．Opportunities favor the prepared mind. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出最佳选项。
Just 10 years ago, I sat across the desk from a doctor. “Yes,” he said, “there is something wrong with the left, upper lung. You are suffering a severe cancer. You’ll have to give up work at once. Later on, we’ll see.”
Feeling like a man who is in midcareer has suddenly been placed under sentence of death, I left the doctor’s office, walked over to the park, and sat down on a chair. I needed to think. In the next 3 days, I cleared up my affairs, then I went home, got into bed, and set my watch to tick off not the minutes, but the months. Two years later, I left my bed and began the long climb back. It was another year before I made it.
I speak of this experience because these years that passed so slowly taught me what to value and what to believe. I realize now that each day, to me, is a precious thing. I’ve learned to appreciate those little things I never thought I had the time to notice before: the play of light on running water, the music of the wind.
Frequently, I sit back and say to myself, “Let me make note of this moment I’m living right now, because in it I’m well, happy and hard at work doing what I like best to do. It won’t always be like this, so while it is, I’ll make the most of it—and afterwards, I remember—and be grateful. I contribute all these to that long time spent on the fight with cancer.”
1. Which word can best describe the author’s feeling after visiting the doctor?
| A．Hopeless. | B．Curious. |
| C．Confused. | D．Energetic. |
| A．Two years and a half. | B．Three years. |
| C．Three years and a half. | D．Four years. |
| A．was ill |
| B．started his career |
| C．cleared up his affairs |
| D．struggled to go back to his work |
| A．Patients should know how to get on with doctors. |
| B．Doctors should treat patients more carefully. |
| C．We should pay enough attention to diets. |
| D．We should value and appreciate life. |
【推荐1】Our precious ones! How amusing their childish faux pas (失言) can be. Once my baby son was in the bath, the soap fell into the bath water. “Oh, its fa’en in the water,” he said. “Fallen, darling,” I said, emphasizing the double “L”. He thought for a moment, saying, “Fallen 20 blackbirds?” Oh, yes, he knew his nursery rhymes all right!
Yet often they can be the cause of a red face, and parents can be unknowingly embarrassed. My son once spotted a small sculpture of John Wesley in a museum and gave a delighted cry—“Oh look, Doctor Who!” This was in the days of the first Doctor, played by William Hartline, whose hair was in a similar style to that of John Wesley.
My reddest face by far occurred on the L8 bus. My six-year-old son and I were sitting on the upper deck front seat. As the bus passed a prison, my son stood up and faced the full upper deck, saying most proudly “My grandpa’s been in there!” much to the surprise of the passengers. Well, they weren’t to know that it wasn’t as a prisoner, were they? My face was redder than red as I hurriedly murmured (咕哝) to my nearest passenger that it was as a visitor. My son had earlier overheard that my father-in-law would be sent to the prison on business.
Yes, they can let you down, can’t they? And yet, getting it wrong is such fun and the right word is so quickly learned! Children’s faux pas are so amusing; they just say as they think they heard. Years later, incidents like this can be remembered with great amusement by the family, and after all, it is all part of growing up and so innocently (天真地) voiced.
I’m certain most parents can recall sayings like this, and I would strongly suggest that parents with young children get a notebook and write them down there and then. Most of the sayings from my young son are now gone forever. I wish I had recorded them at the time they came up—red face and all!
1. Why did the author feel awkward on the bus?| A．Her family’s secret was given away. |
| B．The passengers were frightened by the boy. |
| C．Her son hadn’t known what his grandpa was. |
| D．Her son’s grandpa would be mistaken as a prisoner. |
| A．They are part of growth. |
| B．They bring laugh to children. |
| C．They show children’s honesty. |
| D．They help to tell right from wrong. |
| A．All children are sure to have their faux pas. |
| B．It’s common for parents to ignore their children’s words. |
| C．The author remains embarrassed about her son’s faux pas. |
| D．The author failed to record all her son’s innocent sayings timely. |
| A．Learn from Mistakes |
| B．Parents And White Lies |
| C．Children And Red Faces |
| D．Escape from Embarrassment |
【推荐2】When I was a freshman, on Christmas break I went home and looked through the bags of clothes Mom intended to give away. I took a baggy red shirt, for I needed something to wear in art class. Mom was surprised. She wore that when she was pregnant with my younger brother.
The red shirt became a part of my college wardrobe. After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday morning when I cleaned. When I became pregnant, I wore the red shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of my family. But that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant, 15 years earlier. That Christmas, thinking of the warm feelings the shirt had given me, I wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her “real” gift, she said the red shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again. The next year, when my husband and I moved the kitchen table, I noticed something red taped to its bottom. It was the shirt! And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad’s mattress. Two years passed before I discovered it under the base of our living-room floor lamp. The red shirt was just what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The walnut stains added character.
Years later, my husband and I divorced. With my three children, I prepared to move back to Illinois, depressed. Suddenly I saw the stained red shirt. I smiled. After unpacking in our new home I visited her, and I hid it in her bottom dresser drawer. Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A year later I discovered the red shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet. The shirt was Mother’s final gift. Mother died three months later.
I was tempted to send the red shirt, faded but in decent shape, with her to her grave. But I’m glad I didn’t, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a baggy red shirt to wear to art class.
1. Where did the author get the shirt for the first time?| A．In art class in college. | B．In unwanted bags of clothes. |
| C．In her college wardrobe. | D．In the kitchen. |
| A．The shirt relieved homesickness from the author. |
| B．The shirt made her find a good job at a radio station. |
| C．The shirt was the only clothes that the author had for art class. |
| D．The shirt was the cheapest gift to give to her Mom tor Christmas. |
| A．Visiting the parents regularly. |
| B．Moving the kitchen table regularly. |
| C．Secretly giving and receiving the shirt. |
| D．Often tapping something to the bottom of the table. |
| A．That her daughter needs it in art class. |
| B．That it is from her dead Mom. |
| C．That it is still in decent shape though faded. |
| D．That it symbolizes mother’s love. |
How to get siblings to get along？One of the greatest gifts of parenthood is seeing your children form a relationship with each other that is independent of you. By giving them someone else to play with, you can free up some time for yourself. Here are four techniques you can use to help your children appreciate each other while they are young.
1.
2. Stay out of the way. Try not to get too involved in your kinds’ arguments. Learning cooperation and problem-solving is an important skill in life.
3. Activities and opportunities. Have your kids go to their siblings’ games and activities.
4. Vacations. Don’t ignore the value of a family vacation for bringing siblings together. When kids are away from their friends and forced to spend time together, they often enjoy each other.
| A．Never shout at them. |
| B．Don’t compare. |
| C．It doesn’t need to be anything extremely great. |
| D．Get them involved in one another’s lives, so they can have a better appreciation of who their sibling is. |
| E．That only serves to fuel the competition. |
| F．They may need help solving a conflict, but try not to take sides. |
| G．Give them a project, and they will learn how to work together. |
【推荐1】I live in a small studio.I sleep in a bed that folds down from the wall.I have six dress shirts.I have 10 shallow bowls that I use for salads and main dishes.When people come over for dinner.I pull out my extendable dining room table.I don't have a single CD or DVD and I have 10 percent of the books I once did.
I have come a long way from the life I had in the late’90s,when,having made a fortune from an Internet start-up sale,I had a giant house full of stuff(物品)-electronics and cars and appliances and furniture.
Somehow this stuff ended up running my life,or a lot of it;the things I consumed ended up consuming me.My life became unnecessarily complicated.There were lawns(草坪)to mow,floors to mop,a car to insure,wash,refuel,repair and register and tech to set up and keep working.Who had I become?My house and my things were my new employers for a job I had never applied for.I started to wonder why my theoretically upgraded life didn't feel any better and why I felt more anxious than before.
For me,it took 15 years to get rid of the things I had collected and live a bigger,better,richer life with less.
I like material things as much as anyone.I studied product design in school.But my experiences show that after a certain point,material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support.I know the best stuff in life isn't stuff at all,and that relationships,experiences and meaningful work are the main parts of a happy life.
My latest project is to design thoughtfully constructed small homes that support our lives,not the other way around.The house 1 design contains less stuff and makes it easier for owners to live within their means and to limit their environmental footprint.My space is well-built,affordable and as functional as living spaces twice the size.I frequently have dinner parties for 12.I sleep better knowing I'm not using more resources than I need.I have less-and enjoy more.
My space is small.My life is big.
1. Why does the author use a bed that folds down from the wall?| A．To save time. |
| B．To save space. |
| C．To make the room neat. |
| D．To sleep comfortably. |
| A．They were complicated. |
| B．They were expensive to run. |
| C．They were a great burden. |
| D．They couldn't meet the daily needs. |
| A．It is used for dinner parties. |
| B．There is no stuff in the house. |
| C．It is larger than his studio. |
| D．The space is actually larger than it is. |
| A．Living Better with Less |
| B．Consuming Less to Save Money |
| C．Longing for the Good Old Days |
| D．Building a Comfortable Living Space |
【推荐2】My wife has watched me write, blog and make speeches for a few years now. I’ve encouraged her to do her own video blog (vlog), too, because she is always watching them, but she hasn’t been interested in the spotlight.
Now that enough time has passed, she is ready to go for it! Angelika is a great cook, so she is going to do a cooking show. I am just thrilled that she has found a passion to pursue in a way that works for her.
I’m smart enough to step back and let her go at her own pace. I know that being there for emotional support or however she needs me is important. Now that my wife will have a studio worthy of her talents and personality, she will only make the kitchen look better.
Part of me hopes that I will spend the rest of my life watching and tasting her creations. When you start to express your creative drive, it can be a wonderful ride. When the love of your life takes the ride with you, and starts to drive, it’s pretty cool way to travel through life.
I am at my best when being creative, whether in front of a keyboard or a live audience. I have always encouraged creative answers to life. There is always more than one right way to do something.
Yes, public attention in our social media world has become a marker of success, but it means more when you are sending a positive message. Helping people enjoy their lives a little more is a big deal.
This project will not just make her happy but make us closer. I am aware that this is her project, not mine. I will answer any questions she asks but be careful about offering unwanted advice. What she doesn't know she will learn. You never want to take that process away from anyone.
1. Why didn’t Angelika try vlogging before?| A．She was too busy to do it. | B．She had no such talent or skill. |
| C．She lacked self-confidence. | D．She didn’t enjoy being on camera. |
| A．Worried. | B．Doubtful. | C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Delivering positive messages with creativity. |
| B．Showing how successful you are. |
| C．Experiencing the ups and downs it brings. |
| D．Interacting with a live audience. |
| A．He will prepare ingredients. | B．He will provide emotional support. |
| C．He will offer comments. | D．He will guide her every step. |
【推荐3】There’s an assumption that you will enjoy good weather whenever you plan a trip. The good weather assumption is right up there with other ridiculous assumptions, like nobody will get sick, you won’t have car trouble and the kids will get along beautifully.
We planned a weekend trip with 12 family members to enjoy the loveliness of the fall at a rented lake house based on these assumptions. A month before, the forecast temperature was 18℃. Perfect sweater weather. Three weeks before, the temperature forecast began warming around 23℃. No need for sweaters. Fifteen days before, my weather app showed clouds and raindrops. Find the raincoats. Two days before, there was a 90 percent chance of rain. And the day before we took off, the forecast changed from a 90 percent chance of rain to 100 percent.
We arrived at our destination and saw threatening clouds but no rain. "To the beach! Run, kids! Run!" someone yelled. Everyone ran. The kids jumped in small waves, threw rocks and got their shoes and pants wet. Then the rain came. "To the house! Run!" someone yelled.
That continued for the rest of the trip. "To the beach!" "To the house!" "To the beach!"
During a normal afternoon, we would run to the beach, light a fire, and make biscuits before the sky turned a threatening steel blue (钢青色). Then, the wind would kick up, the rain would arrive, and we would go back to the house.
On our final night, there was a huge storm. The lights in the house began to switch off and on, and the waves from the lake roared (呼啸). We all pressed our noses against the windows and agreed it was way better than watching the Weather Channel. Later, we played board games and sang songs, then slept to the sound of rain hitting the house and waves roaring along the shore. The next morning, we loaded the cars and pulled away, leaving blue skies without a cloud in sight behind.
We don’t always get what we want, but sometimes, what we get instead can still be enjoyable too.
1. Before taking the trip, what did the author do?| A．She didn’t believe what the weather app showed. |
| B．She paid little attention to changes in weather. |
| C．She made several plans for different weather conditions. |
| D．She imagined what sort of clothes her family would need to wear. |
| A．The kids running to and from the beach. | B．The waves roaring along the shore. |
| C．The kids jumping into the lake. | D．The rain hitting the house. |
| A．Rainy. | B．Stormy. |
| C．Sunny. | D．Cloudy. |
| A．were upset about the bad weather |
| B．still had a good time despite the weather |
| C．preferred the indoor activities |
| D．would never choose to go to the lake house again |
