【推荐1】Holiday was over. The school bus was due to pick up my daughters in four minutes, and they were doing their last minute gathering of shoes, water bottles, lunches, and backpacks.

“Don’t forget it’s Tuesday,” I called to my eight-year-old daughter as she headed for the boots lying next to the door. “Tennis shoes for P.E.,” I added.

My child suddenly stopped and turned to face me, grasping her right arm with her left. “Mama, my arm hurts today. Could you write me a note that says my arm is sore?”

“You want me to write a note now? You should have thought of it sooner.”

“Sore arm? Let me guess — too much Nintendo Wii (一种电子游戏)?”

“You will be fine. Come on, we need to go. The bus is coming.”

I thought of those responses.

But I didn’t say them.

From past experiences, I could see how this situation would play out if I chose sarcasm (讽刺), unfriendliness, and annoyance over understanding, responsiveness, and respect.

Choosing unfriendliness in a moment of conflict had once resulted in breaking into pieces my husband’s coffee pot in the kitchen sink.

And then came regret.

Anger was the reason I lost all control one day when I was unable to locate my car in a sea of vehicles.

And then came regret.

Despite the years that have passed since those incidents, I can still see my children’s faces, staring at me in horror wondering what had become of me in those moments.

I disliked myself in those moments. I wanted to run away and hide. But most of all, I didn’t want to be that changeable person anymore.

Facing one of those situations, I knew my response could either make or break the situation. So I took a 3-second pause before opening my mouth.

I noticed there were real tears welling in my daughter’s eyes…real tears she didn’t want to fall… real tears she was actually pushing back with her fingers.

That 3-second pause was just long enough for me to realize this sadness, this pain, this worry of my child’s was real. And a note to the P.E. teacher was very important to her.

I wrote the quick note, and handed it to my child. I never knew I had the power to hand someone a little bit of peace, comfort…

“Thank you, Mama,” she said quietly, color coming back to her face.

I thought of my child’s sore arm throughout the day. And although I don’t always make the right choice with my words, I knew I had that time.

“When I got to P. E., I saw they were doing something I could do, even with a sore arm. So I kept the note in my pocket and played,” my daughter told me later.

Thank goodness, things are different now. The goal of each tough situation is to speak in a way I can be heard … to listen in a way that the other person can be heard … and to walk away feeling at peace with the way the situation was handled.

I’ve started a new list — a list of thoughtful responses that I’ve offered. This list inspired me to write a hopeful reminder — 3-second pauses have the power to save a morning, spare some pain, and prevent regret from being a lifelong companion. May it bring someone else hope too!

1. Why did the author’s daughter want a note?

A．She wanted to ask for a one-day sick leave.

B．She was unable to exercise for a sore arm.

C．She didn’t feel like attending a P.E. lesson.

D．She wanted to be informed of the schedule.

2. Instead of responding instantly, the author paused for a while, because _________.

A．she was wondering how the arm was hurt

B．she doubted if her daughter was telling a lie

C．she was angry for her daughter’s skipping P.E.

D．she was seeking a better solution to the situation

3. How did the children feel when the author lost control of herself?

A．Disappointed and frightened.	B．Confused and scared.
C．Painful and regretful.	D．Unfriendly and annoyed.

4. Why did the author decide to write a note?

A．She wanted to make up for her past overreactions.

B．She didn’t want to make her daughter disappointed.

C．She thought it was proper to do so after consideration.

D．She didn’t want to start a conflict with her daughter.

5. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．A powerful motivator — regret.	B．Regret never goes away easily.
C．A single error can bring a lifelong regret.	D．Regret, it’s nice to see you go.

【推荐2】Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his school team, I was feeling sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity (困境) on the court, trailing for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had just been dismissed from my job.

As I watched what my son was experiencing, I recalled the events earlier in the day- packing up everything in a box and saying goodbye to my colleagues. During the drive home, I kept telling myself that I will find work again — I am confident in my experience and abilities, but self-doubt was still sticking its foot in the door.

The game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan's team still trailing. I saw the determination on his back to not only tie the game, but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he made the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul (犯规).

As Nathan stood preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, with no room for self-doubt. After he made the free throw, his team managed to stop the other team from scoring, winning the game and moving on to the finals.

As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me. I had taught him perseverance (毅力) in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn't matter if he wins or loses. At this moment, we both won.

1. The underlined word “trailing”in the first paragraph probably means_________.

A．losing

B．falling behind

C．being defeated

D．winning

2. We can learn from the text that_________.

A．I lost my job for lack of experience and abilities

B．Nathan's team won a narrow victory in the basketball game

C．I was proud of Nathan because he won the game in the finals

D．Nathan had never doubted himself whenever he was in trouble

3. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Close Game	B．A Moment of Self-doubt
C．Lesson from My Son	D．An Unforgettable Experience

【推荐3】Staying silent can be just as powerful as the words you mean to say, like when the act of hugging will be more comforting than saying, “Sorry for your loss.”
Another time when silence is golden is when you are unsure of what to say. If you are confused about your own feelings concerning a matter, it’s best to stay quiet until you are more certain because more harm can be done by revealing false or exaggerated feelings
Choose silence instead of blurting out “in-the-moment” feelings that are hurtful and not really how you feel in the grand scheme of things. When you feel the urge to say an unkind thing, take a few breaths and think of the possible consequences of your words.
Silence can be your best friend during negotiations. Say your piece, then close your mouth, and let the other person come to their own conclusions. Your silence shows that one, you are confident in what you just said, and two, you respect the other person enough to hear what they have to say.
Sometimes silence is the best and most timely solution because the other person is not in a position to hear what you have to say. For example, when a friend needs for you to listen to her problems, but she is unable to accept your advice at that moment.
Practice being silent at work when you don’t have anything meaningful to contribute. Unless you can start the conversation by pointing out something interesting, missing, or beneficial, it’s best to just observe and learn.
Finally, silence is golden when you don’t want to engage in a fool’s argument. As some squabbles(口角) will never be resolved, one must agree to disagree.
However, there will be times in your life where you will need the power of your voice,the voice within you that wants and needs to be respected and appreciated.
1. The passage mainly tells us about ________.

A．whether or not to stay silent	B．why to stay silent
C．how to stay silent	D．when to stay silent

2. What is the best to do during negotiation?

A．Grasp every chance to say more than the other

B．Close your mouth and just listen to the other

C．Speak out your own points and discuss with others

D．Keep silent after expressing yourself

3. To follow this passage, the writer is likely to continue telling about ________.

A．the occasions when you should speak up

B．the power of your voice

C．the advantages of speaking up

D．the disadvantages of staying silent

【推荐1】Dear Ms. White, I was so worried about handing my little boy over during his first week of school, but you made it easier. You smiled at him like a mother would at her own child. You radiated warmth and your hugs were always on offer.

After a day in class with you, Kevin would come home singing. Whenever I hear Do Your Ears Hang Low or see him stretching to the sky when singing about the days of the week, I will think of you. I didn’t tell you at the time, but I loved your morning song so much that I tried it in my own class (I’m a teacher too). The first time we sang it after losing you was hard but, as time passes, I take comfort in the knowledge that, even though you are not here, your work continues to make children happy.

When you saw I was troubled, you hugged me with your smile and I knew everything would be OK. You made parents feel as cared for as our children.

In the short time I knew you, you taught me about the type of teacher I desire to be. You never seemed troubled by the mountain of paperwork or impossible work-life balance that comes with the role. Instead, you appeared to embrace every minute.

I can’t comprehend why you’ve been taken from us. Telling Kevin was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I’m not sure he fully understands, but he told me he loved you and has been asking whether your “robot powers (助力机器人)” will work in heaven.

I wish I had told you all of this when you were with us. I hope that you knew the extent of your magic, how you brought happiness to everyone you met and how loved you were. Goodbye, Dear Friend.

1. Why was the writer worried during the first week?

A．She knew Ms. White very well.

B．She didn’t want his son to go to school.

C．She was not sure if Ms. White was kind.

D．She was not sure if his son would work hard.

2. How did the writer know his son was happy at school?

A．From her son’s behavior.	B．From other parents’ comment.
C．From what the teacher said.	D．From the other children’s behavior.

3. What are Paragraphs 3-4 mainly about?

A．How the teacher encouraged the children.

B．How the writer was inspired by the teacher.

C．What the parents said about the teacher.

D．How to deal with the mountain of work.

【推荐2】If you are a recent social science graduate who has had to listen to jokes about unemployment from your computer major classmates, you may have had the last laugh. There are many advantages for the social science major because this high-tech “Information Age” demands people who are flexible and who have good communication skills.

There are many social science majors in large companies who fill important positions. For example, a number of research studies found that social science majors had achieved greater managerial success than those who had technical training or pre-professional courses. Studies show that social science majors are most suited for change, which is the leading feature of the kind of high speed, high-pressure, high-tech world we now live in.

Social science majors are not only experiencing success in their long-term company jobs, but they are also finding jobs more easily. A study showed that many companies had filled a large percentage of their entry-level positions with social science graduates. The study also showed that the most sought-after quality in a person who was looking for a job was communication skills, noted as “very important” by 92 percent of the companies. Social science majors have these skills, often without knowing how important they are. It is probably due to these skills that they have been offered a wide variety of positions.

Finally, although some social science majors may still find it more difficult than their technically trained classmates to land the first job, recent graduates report that they don’t regret their choice of study.

1. Compared with graduates of other subjects, social science graduates _____.

A．are ready to change when situations change

B．are better able to deal with difficulties

C．are equally good at computer skills

D．are likely to give others pressure

2. According to the text, what has made it easy for social science graduates to find jobs?

A．Willingness to take low-paid jobs.	B．Readiness to gain high-tech knowledge.
C．Skills in expressing themselves.	D．Part-time work experience.

3. The underlined word “land” in the last paragraph probably means _______.

A．keep for some time	B．successfully get
C．immediately start	D．lose regretfully

【推荐3】Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher? I do remember mine. Her name was Mrs White.

I don’t remember much about what we learned in her class, but my mother once told me that we used to write a lot. And I would bring back what I wrote and she would see there were so many spelling and grammatical mistakes, but no red corrections. Instead, always a star. Sometimes even a “Good”! It worried my mother, so one day she went to meet Mrs White.

Mrs White said to my mother, “The boy is just beginning to get excited about using words and forming sentences. I don’t want to dampen the enthusiasm(热情) with red marks. Spelling and grammar can wait. The wonder of words doesn’t.” And if Mrs White had used her red pen more clearly I probably wouldn't be telling you about this now. I look back now and think she must have been a rather extraordinary teacher. She allowed the joy, wonder and excitement of expression to flower—however imperfectly. Because to blossom is better than not to blossom. And a bud(花蕾) once cut off never opens.

I used to misspell “beautiful”. Never could I quite remember that the “e” went before the “a”, which made my high school teacher very angry. If I was going to use the word more frequently, she thought I could at least spell it right. Finally, “e” and “a” settled into their right places of their own accord. I am glad that I didn’t wait on them, though.

Thanks to Mrs White, I had no qualms(疑虑) about writing what I meant, even though I couldn’t quite spell it out.

1. Why did the author’s mother go to meet Mrs White?

A．Because her son did badly in his exams.

B．Because Mrs White paid no attention to her son.

C．Because she wanted to know more about her son.

D．Because Mrs White never corrected her son's mistakes.

2. What does the underlined word “dampen” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Weaken.

B．Lose.

C．Fire.

D．Hide.

3. What does Mrs White think is the most important when students start to write?

A．Attitude and practice.	B．Interest and confidence.
C．Courage and enthusiasm.	D．Correctness and exactness.

4. The writer may probably think his high school teacher___________.

A．taught in the same way as Mrs White had done

B．was not satisfied with his mistake made in spelling

C．should tell him how to improve words spelling

D．paid much attention to teaching students to use proper words

【推荐1】Jeff was diagnosed in 2010 with multiple myeloma (多发性骨髓瘤)．It is a disease that is usually noticed when grandpa falls and breaks his hip. The average patient is in his early 70s. But Jeff was only 50 when diagnosed. “I wondered why me, as a young guy?” Jeff says. But his relative youth and good health has put him in a position to fight the disease in his way.

In next January Jeff and his wife Ramona will join a team climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and funds for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. It’s an adventure he’s dreamed about since the 4th grade.

Jeff will be one of four in the group who are myeloma patients not willing to be threatened by cancer. He and Ramona have raised nearly $ 18, 000 toward their combined goal of $ 20, 000.

Still, he’s confident that his earlier marathon training has prepared him to climb the highest free-standing mountain in the world. “I just have to deal with it and understand my limitations.” he says.

What Jeff sees is a clear future. “Having cancer narrows the focus about what we want to do and who we want to do it with.” he says. He and Ramona now ask themselves, “How do we go out and live the most fulfilling lives? Who are the most important people in our lives? What brings us joy?”

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is their next adventure, but Jeff knows it won’t be just a personal accomplishment. “I do these things for all the people who can't.” he says.

Jeff is certain that his passion for hiking and adventure will take him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and that his story will inspire those with multiple myeloma to keep sight of who they are beyond their diagnosis.

“It’s obvious to me,” he says, “that this is part of my fate.”

1. What can we know about multiple myeloma according to the text?

A．It’s a deadly disease that can't be cured.

B．It’s a disease that usually occurs around the age of 50.

C．It’s a disease that Jeff has been struggling with.

D．It’s a disease that only affects men.

2. What’s the main purpose for Jeff and his wife to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro?

A．To show love for climbing high mountains.

B．To get enough physical training to be stronger.

C．To express determination to overcome the disease.

D．To raise awareness and money for an organization.

3. What’s Jeff’s attitude towards his disease?

A．Worried.

B．Optimistic.

C．Favorable.

D．Indifferent.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Be Strong-minded	B．Power of Independence
C．Love for Travelling	D．An Unusual Disease

【推荐2】Nothing could stop Dad. After he was put on disability for a bad back, he bought a small farm in the country, just enough to grow food for the family. He planted vegetables, fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.

And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgin’s chicken house in exchange for manure(料理). The smell really burned the inside of your nose. When we complained about the terrible smell, Dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right. For example,just one of his cantaloupes filled the entire house with its sweet smell, and the taste was even sweeter.

As the vegetables started coming in, Dad threw himself into cooking. One day, armed with a basket of vegetables, he announced he was going to make stew (炖菜) Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, corns, onions and carrots.For about half an hour, the pressure built and the vegetables cooked. Finally, Dad turned off the stove, the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam. If we thought Dad’s pile of chicken manure was bad, this was 10 times worse. When Dad took off the lid, the smell nearly knocked us out.

Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house. Just how bad was it? The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak!

Determined, Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around. It didn’t look that bad, and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell, it didn’t offend the nose so much, either. I took a taste. It would never win a prize in a cooking competition, but it was surprisingly edible, and we drank up every last drop of soup!

1. Why did Dad clean Old Man Mocolgin’ s chicken house regularly?

A．To earn some money for the family.	B．To collect manure for his crops.
C．To get rid of the terrible smell.	D．To set a good example to us.

2. What can we infer about Dad’s stew?

A．It is popular among the neighbors.	B．It contains honey and vegetables.
C．It looks very wonderful.	D．It tastes quite delicious.

3. What can we learn about Dad from the text?

A．He is an experienced cook.	B．He is a troublesome father.
C．He has a positive attitude to life.	D．He suffers a lot from his disability.