If I have a life-time goal, it’s not to be driving a Bentley. It is to give away more than $5,000,000 a year and having an influence on people’s lives. I have the success today because I always had to work for what I wanted. I grew up used to risks and disappointments, so I was accustomed to moving forward, no matter what.
In 2010, I went to New York where I tried to get hired as an agent, an analyst and a financial broker. Unfortunately, all these doors slammed in my face. The world’s economy was in a bad state, so I knew I would have to do a little spinning of my own.
Youth involves a certain innocence but also perseverance. The word “can’t” was not in my vocabulary. I partnered with a friend buying distressed multifamily properties around Chicago. Even though we were enthusiastic and backed with start-up sums, I didn’t make a deal work. My friend moved on to other projects. Alone, I put all my money into the next real-estate project. I put the time in, I dreamed it, but once again the deal fell through. Two months later, though, the deal came back around. That was when the path opened, luck changed, and I was ready to form my own company. I haven’t looked back. Only ahead.
I’m now able to give back to communities and causes. I donate about $600,000 a year, much of that going to research to cure rare diseases. We also support a lot of services for disadvantaged children in Chicago and other places.
I have always been someone who can see the big picture and have never been distracted by things that get in the way. There are lessons to be learned, and the biggest of those is to keep going. You may have to change the path, but always keep that vision in front of you.
1. What can we learn about the author ?A.He changed jobs several times while in New York. |
B.He donated much money to improve his company’s image. |
C.He started his company with a friend. |
D.He encountered difficulties in the process of growing up. |
A.start his own business | B.get around for support |
C.make his contributions to society | D.look for a casual job instead |
A.Determined and persistent. | B.Fortunate and kind. |
C.Aggressive and innocent. | D.Adventurous and enthusiastic. |
A.Starting Your Own Business | B.Never Look Back |
C.Jumping over Economic Downturns | D.Pursue Success in Business |
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【推荐1】In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.
After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $ 20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor. “Sir, you must have dropped this, ” the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the change, and headed West.
On the way out of town, he began to understand what that fellow did. “Maybe nobody dropped the money at all. Maybe that fellow just knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't embarrass me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can. ”
Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now, he lives near Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the “Secret Santa” because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. Last year, he gave more than $ 50,000 away in Kansas City.
1. The young man was traveling across the country in 1971 probably to _____ .A.improve his life | B.hand out gifts to passers-by |
C.look for a good restaurant | D.show his new car to others |
A.it was very honest of the owner to return his money |
B.he could probably find himself a job in the restaurant |
C.the owner helped him in a way that didn't hurt his feelings |
D.another man who had breakfast in the restaurant lost the money |
A.the man raised money for the poor | B.the man did carry out his promise |
C.Santa gives the man money each year | D.the man was not successful in the end |
A.Secret Santa of Kansas City | B.The Key to Success |
C.A kind Waiter in the Restaurant | D.Never Give Up |
【推荐2】Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren; correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her suffering in her later years. At eighty- five, she suffered a stroke and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her limp body back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whrr,” she said weakly. “Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whrr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly. Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could gather said, “ Not ...was. Say were!” We suddenly realized that Mom was correcting Brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads.
1. What do the underlined words “went steadily downhill” mean in the 2nd paragraph?A.went lower and lower | B.went worse and worse |
C.went down the hill | D.went downstairs |
A.She wanted to tell her sons her will. |
B.She wanted to have something to eat before she died. |
C.She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking. |
D.She wanted to give her sons something before she died. |
A.Mom was a good teacher and never gave up her teaching. |
B.Mom was always making her teaching fun. |
C.Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died. |
D.Mom stopped teaching when she was at home. |
A.He loved her but was tired of his mother’s teaching. |
B.His mother should have forgotten her teaching and enjoyed the rest of her life. |
C.His mother was great because she devoted herself to teaching. |
D.His mother was an excellent teacher before she was retired. |
【推荐3】A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe passed and shouted, “Can I give you a lift to higher ground?”
“No, thanks,” said Smith. “I have faith in God and he will save me.”
Soon the water rose to Smith’s waist. At this point a motor boat pulled up and someone called out, “Can I give you a lift to higher ground?”
“No, thanks, I have faith in God and he will save me.”
Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. “Grab the rope,” shouted the pilot. “I’ll pull you up.”
“No, thanks,” said Smith. “I have faith in God and he will save me.” But after hours of struggling with water, poor exhausted Smith drowned and went to his reward. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met God and complained about this. “Tell me, God,” he said, “I had such faith in you to save me and you let me drown. What happened?”
To which God replied, “What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter.”
1. When the pilot asked Smith to grab the rope, ______.A.Smith pulled the pilot up | B.Smith did so |
C.Smith didn’t do so | D.Smith didn’t hear him |
A.went to his reward | B.passed away |
C.went to heaven | D.all of the above |
A.He was a lazy man |
B.He was a lucky man who believed in God |
C.He was a poor man |
D.He was a silly man who believed in God |
A.What Do You Want from Me? | B.How Do You Believe in God? |
C.How God Loved Smith! | D.Smith Obeyed God’s Order |
【推荐1】Looking out of my window today reminded me of another day just like this one, a day when I was searching for a special blue bird. I thought it had been talking to my grandmother about me.
One day grandmother asked me to buy some bread. On the way home I gave my bread to a black dog. I really wanted to keep her but I knew my mother would not allow.
An idea occurred to me. I got to our back gate, carefully dug a hole under the fence, and left the rest of the bread right at the hole. Then from the front door I went down the drive and through to the backyard. I got there just in time. She was trying to reach the bread at the hole. I held her front paws and pulled her through. She ate up the bread and I was delighted that my idea had worked.
When I got inside, I told my grandmother that my bread was eaten by a stray dog. I was very pleased with myself for not having to lie. We suddenly heard scratching coming from the back door. Seeing her, grandmother asked me, “Where did that come from?” “She must have come in under the gate.” I pointed out the hole under the back gate. Grandmother told me she thought it was I who brought the dog home. I looked at my grandmother’ s face and asked, “How did you know?” She said, “A little bird told me, a little blue bird told me.” I reminded her I had not told a lie. She grinned and said, “No you did not lie. But the truth you told was not the whole story either.”
I spent most of that summer making sure the blue birds stayed out of the yard. I remember watching grandmother giggling a little as she watched me.
Years later I found out that grandmother had been looking out of the breakfast room window and watched me dig the hole, run back into the yard and pull the dog through. She and my mother laughed about it. Anyway, we kept the dog (even after she delivered 13 puppies) until she passed away with snow-white on her snout and around her eyes.
1. How did the dog get into the house?A.From the hole under the fence. | B.From the bakery at the back door. |
C.From the front door and the drive. | D.From the breakfast room window. |
A.The bird. | B.The scratching noise. | C.The dog. | D.The hole. |
A.Because she knew the truth. | B.Because she once talked to the bind. |
C.Because she thought I told the truth. | D.Because she loved the dog too. |
A.Frightened and puzzled. | B.Concerned and happy. |
C.Tolerant and sympathetic. | D.Delighted and carefree. |
“Who's there?” I shouted. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning; I saw a face at the window. It looked like an alien(外星人)--- an alien that I had seen on the television show, “the X files”.
I felt very scared. I ran to my bed and pulled my blanket over my head. I started to shout for my parents but there was no reply. Then I remembered that they were at a fancy dress party.
I looked out of my blanket but it was too dark to see anything. Then I heard footsteps. They were getting louder and louder. I ran to my drawer to take out my camera and started to take pictures in the direction of the window. Soon the footsteps died off.
The grandfather clock struck. It was 12 midnight. I went back to my bed and tried to sleep. But I could not sleep. I felt too frightened. I sat up, and my mind was full of thoughts. Time passed --- finally, I fell asleep.
I woke up only after eight and decided to find out what it had been. I found some footprints outside my bedroom window. I measured them with a ruler and found them to be exactly the same size as my father's shoes. I then went to town to get the film developed. I didn't realize that I did not use the flash until I saw the black photos.
When I reached home, I told my father the whole incident and he started to laugh. I started laughing too when he told me that he had dressed up as an alien for the party. Today, I am still amused to think I was so afraid of my own father.
1. The writer took photos _____.A.to find out what it was | B.just for fun |
C.to scare the alien away | D.for the party |
A.An alien’s face. | B.His father’s face. |
C.Nothing. | D.A flash. |
A.The writer was afraid of his father. | B.The writer stayed alone that night. |
C.The writer didn’t sleep that night. | D.The writer dressed up as an alien. |
【推荐3】As I stood in line waiting to check out at my favorite store, I studied the customer in front of me. She was in her early twenties, but looked as if life had beaten her down many times. Everything about her spelled hardship.
The items in her cart included the cheapest cuts of meat, along with some inexpensive items. Carefully placed in a far corner sat a little doll, some animal stickers, and a 50%-off pretty dress.
When it was her turn and the store employee finally calculated everything and told her the cost, her face paled. She opened her purse and began counting small bills and change. Obviously she didn’t have enough. She removed much-needed goods while the cashier patiently put them away with a pleasant smile.
The child’s items remained in the cart, however. The man right behind me shouted loudly, and the young woman’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment. I wanted to pay for her groceries, but I knew that would hut her.
Instead, I turned around and said to the man in a low voice, “Be grateful you’ve never had to do that!” And then, as she tried to decide what other necessity she could return, I said, “Take your time. I’m in no hurry.”
The woman finally reduced her groceries, paid and moved down to bag them. When my turn came, I moved forward and placed several items with the pile of items the woman had taken out and whispered “ Separate bags, same bill please.” The cashier nodded and quickly complied. Then she “accidentally” rolled several oranges hard enough so that they flew past the lady and onto the floor. As the woman kindly ran to pick up the runaway fruit, I quickly put the two extra bags into her cart, along with a twenty-dollar bill.
That night, as I sat with my husband, my thoughts went to the Lady who I hoped was enjoying a hearty meal with her little girl, and I hoped silently that her life would take an easier turn soon.
1. How did the woman in front impress the author?A.She was interested in spelling words. | B.She had experienced hardship in life. |
C.She enjoyed buying things for her kids. | D.She had just moved into the neighborhood. |
A.She attracted the lady’s attention with some oranges. |
B.She packed some free fruit in a bag for the woman. |
C.She blamed the man who had shouted at the woman. |
D.She managed to get a job appointment for the woman. |
A.Refused | B.Obeyed | C.Advised. | D.Paid. |
A.Humorous. | B.Strict. | C.Honest. | D.Considerate. |