At the age of 9, my father passed away. I often helped mum with the housework and changing the vacuum cleaner (真空吸尘器) bag and picking up things the machine did not suck up always drove me crazy. One day 20 years later, in 1978, I was doing chores at home alongside my wife. The vacuum cleaner was screaming, and worse still, I had to empty the bag several times. But for my wife’s comfort, I would have lost it just as I did many years ago. It was at that time that I decided to make a bagless vacuum cleaner. And I even imagined myself using it for the next weekend cleaning.
Easier said than done, of course. I didn’t realize that I would spend the next five years perfecting my design, a process that resulted in 5,127 different prototypes (设计原型). By the time I made my 15th prototype, my third child was born. By 2,627, my wife and I were really counting our pennies. By 3,727, my wife was giving art lessons for some extra cash, and we were getting further and further into debt. These were tough times, but with my family, I pulled through and each failure brought me closer to solving the problem.
I just had a passion for the vacuum cleaner as a product, but I never thought of going into a business with it. In the early 1980s, I started trying to get licensing agreements (许可协议) for my technology. The reality was very different, however. The major vacuum makers had built a business model based on the profits from bags and filters (滤网). No one would license my idea, not because it was a bad one, but because it was bad for business.
That gave me the courage to keep going, but soon after, the companies that I had talked with started making machines like mine. I had to fight legal battles on both sides of the Atlantic to protect the patents on my vacuum cleaner. However, I was still in financial difficulties until 1993, when my bank manager personally persuaded Lloyds Bank to lend me $1 million. Then my bagless vacuum cleaner was produced in large numbers. Within two years, the Dyson vacuum cleaner became a best-seller in Britain.
Today, I still embrace risk and the potential for failure as part of my life. “Go out and brainstorm new ideas.” I often tell myself.
1. From the first paragraph, we know that _____.| A．Dyson resolved to make a vacuum cleaner in memory of his father. |
| B．Dyson decided to develop an innovative vacuum cleaner for his wife while in his thirties. |
| C．Dyson was not a little annoyed when the vacuum cleaner went wrong. |
| D．Dyson didn’t lose the vacuum cleaner he used because his wife comforted him. |
| A．In the early 1980s. |
| B．After his bank manager agreed to lend him $1 million. |
| C．After he was given a $1 million loan. |
| D．Before he obtained a patent on the product. |
| A．Dyson dreamed of making a fortune when he began his invention |
| B．Dyson might owe his success to his family |
| C．Dyson had no confidence in his vacuum cleaner initially |
| D．Dyson’s vacuum cleaner was not licensed in the early 1980’s for its poor quality |
| A．More haste, less speed. |
| B．Silence is gold. |
| C．Without adventure, one can not know himself. |
| D．He who never failed might never succeed. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A new type of rechargeable battery can rapidly produce charges in large quantities even at-70° Celsius, a temperature where the typical lithium-ion(锂离子) batteries that power many of today's devices don't work. Batteries that bear such extremely cold conditions could help build electronics that function in some of the coldest places on Earth or on other planets.
Inside lithium-ion batteries, ions flow between positive and negative electrodes(电极), where the ions are fixed and then set free to travel back through a substance called an electrolyte(电解质) to the other end. As the temperature drops, the ions move slowly through the electrolyte. The cold also makes it hard for ions to get rid of the electrolyte material that sticks onto them. As they cross the battery, ions must cast the matter to fit into the electrode material, explains a battery researcher at Fudan University. At-40℃, conventional lithium-ion batteries deliver about 12 percent of the charge they do at room temperature; at-70℃, they don't work at all.
The new battery contains a special kind of electrolyte that allows ions to flow easily between electrodes even in the bitter cold. The researchers also fitted their battery with electrodes made of organic compounds(有机化合物) rather than the typical transition-metal-rich materials. lons can flow freely in this organic material without having to get rid of the electrolyte material attached to them. So these organic electrodes catch and release ions more easily than electrodes in normal batteries, even at low temperatures, Dong says.
Because the ions flow better and connect more readily with the electrodes at low temperatures, the new battery keeps about 70 percent of its room-temperature charging capacity even at-70℃. Still, battery cells in the new design pack less energy per gram than standard lithium-ion batteries, says Shirley Meng, a material scientist in California. She would like to see whether a more energy-dense(能量密度高的) version of the battery can be built.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that the new battery___________.| A．is applied to most of the electronics | B．can work longer than lithium-ion batteries |
| C．will replace lithium-ion batteries in the future | D．makes using electronics possible in extreme cold |
| A．Because it's hard for ions to fit into electrodes at low temperatures. |
| B．Because electrolytes can't conduct electricity in the cold. |
| C．Because electrodes are unstable in too hot temperatures. |
| D．Because lions don't move at low temperatures. |
| A．Containing more ions. | B．Making ions more active. |
| C．Making the battery rechargeable. | D．Casting more electrolyte materials. |
| A．have a longer life | B．carry more energy | C．charge more quickly | D．be easier to get |
【推荐2】At just seven years old, Angelina Tsuboi discovered her passion for innovation. It all began with a simple game she programmed in her Los Angeles public school’s Grade 2class. Today , at18, the Grade 12 student’s initial curiosity has evolved into a deep-seated desire to use technology to decode (解码) real-world problems.
In 2021, she co-developed Megaphone, one of her first apps, to tackle unanswered post-class questions and poor communication about events and announcements. Her problem-solving ability kept building from there.
When she took online CPR classes at the start of the pandemic, she figured it couldn’t be just her who was struggling with the steps. So she created an app called CPR Buddy ― a winner in the 2022 Apple Swift Challenge ― which guides users through CPR using vibrations (震动) to regulate breath. After winning the award, Angelina presented her work to Apple CEO Tim Cook, a highlight in her young career, but one she didn’t lose her cool over. “There’s no point putting people on a pedestal (神坛),” she says.
The next year, Angelina built an app called Lilac, designed to assist nonEnglish-speaking single parents with resources for housing, job opportunities and translation support. She was inspired by her own experiences as a child of a single mother who immigrated to the US.
When Angelina decided to pursue pilot training at the age of 16, she was struck by how difficult it was to find financial support, which encouraged her to create yet another app, Pilot Fast Track, which helps those longing to be pilots find scholarships for flight training.
Looking to the future, besides applying to colleges with great labs, Angelina is exploring the field of aerospace cybersecurity and mechatronics ― combining computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.
“There’s not enough optimism in the world,“ she says. “I have also been in situations in my life where I’ve lost a lot of hope. But in the end, it is a mindset, and there are ways in any situation you’re in to make it somewhat better.”
1. What is Angelina’s pursuit?| A．To design games for kids. |
| B．To stimulate teen’s curiosity. |
| C．To address problems through technology. |
| D．To find innovative approaches to digital challenges. |
| A．She couldn’t breathe regularly. | B．She was inspired by celebrities. |
| C．She replaced CPR with an app. | D．She was humble about her success. |
| A．To direct pilots’ career paths. |
| B．To help to-be pilots find funds. |
| C．To pair future pilots with airlines. |
| D．To evaluate pilot training schools. |
| A．Breaking the code | B．Bearing growing pains |
| C．Facing life as it is | D．Following role models |
【推荐3】Trying to fight against the nation's food waste problem，Denmark opened the world's first supermarket that sells expired（到期的）or damaged products.
Ever since it was opened in Copenhagen，people have been standing in line outside WeFood for a chance to buy discounted items that would otherwise have ended up being rubbish because of damaged packing or very short use-by dates. Food，cosmetics，and other household items at WeFood are priced at least 30% to 50% lower than those at regular stores.
It's foolish to throw away or let food go to waste," said Hansen, former Minister for Food and Environment." It's bad for the environment and obviously it is money spent on nothing. A supermarket like WeFood makes so much sense and is an important step in the battle to fight against food waste."
While Denmark alone is said to waste about 700,000 tons of food this year, the United Nations has stated that globally, food waste adds up to 1.3 billion tons. It is really shocking, considering that about795million people in the world are still short of food. Denmark, however, has taken measures. As a result, it wastes 25% less food than it did five years ago.
The We Food project is cooperation between the Food Bank and Dan Church Aid. Together they have collected over s 150，000 over the past years. They faced many problems while convincing the government to permit the sale of expired or damaged products. They were finally allowed to carry out the project，and the store is now specially run by volunteers. The money it earns is used to provide funds（基金）for Dan Church Aid's other projects in developing nations.
If We Food can successfully maintain its goods deliveries and remain popular in the long term，Dan Church Aid plans to open many other branches across Denmark.
1. According to the second paragraph，the items sold at We Food are _____________.| A．second-hand | B．unique |
| C．popular | D．perfect |
| A．helping the developing countries |
| B．turning all the rubbish into treasure |
| C．earning more money to expand the supermarket |
| D．attracting more people to buy their waste products |
| A．Finding more volunteers to carry out the project. |
| B．Making sure they have plenty of items for sale. |
| C．Opening branches of We Food around the country. |
| D．Getting permission to sell expired or damaged products. |
| A．People stand in line outside We Food for food |
| B．We Food becomes the world-famous supermarket |
| C．Fighting against the problem of food waste in Denmark |
| D．The world's first expired or damaged product supermarket |
【推荐1】Fifteen years ago, Claybourne Elder was a twentysomething from Utah, standing in the back of a Broadway theatre watching “Putnam County Spelling Bee”, when an act of kindness opened a door to new possibilities.
“This man came up to me and said, ‘Hey, are you from out of town?’And I said, ”Yeah, I’m just here visiting. ‘And the man handed me $200 and said, “You looked like you were having more fun than the people in the expensive seats. Go to buy yourself a ticket to Sweeney Todd tomorrow. It’ll change your life, ‘” Elder said. Elder never got the man’s name — just $200 and a photo.
Elder had never seen Sweeney Todd, so he bought “a great seat”. Starring in that production was the legendary Patti LuPone. “That did not seem real. Patti LuPone. . . she seemed like a person you read about in a book or heard about somewhere, but not someone you saw perform,” Elder said.
He then tried his best to earn a place on the stage. LuPone is now his co-star in the hit musical Company — a turning point of fate that goes back to the stranger who gave him the means to watch one of Broadway’s biggest productions. “It takes that kind of generosity to show you what generosity can be, to turn around and do it again,” Elder said.
Giving back is now a big part of his life. Once a month, he and his 4-year-old son pay fora stranger’s meal at their local diner. Recently, he has started giving away free tickets to his show through social media.
After every performance, Elder takes a picture with the strangers he buys tickets for and hangs the photos in his dressing room. “I hope that it awakens something in them, just like it did in me,” he said. “What I hope happens is that these people are shown some sort of sincere kindness from a stranger and hopefully in turn go out and do something kind for somebody who they don’t know.”
1. How did Elder feel when he saw Patti LuPone perform?| A．Moved and grateful. | B．Inspired but worried. |
| C．Curious but doubtful. | D．Surprised and excited. |
| A．He took Patti LuPone as his teacher. | B．He tried to contact the stranger. |
| C．He trained hard to become an actor. | D．He created Company with Patti LuPone. |
| A．To get personal popularity. | B．To take photos with them. |
| C．To inspire them to do good deeds. | D．To help them know more about his show. |
| A．An Act of Kindness Goes Far | B．Hard Work Always Pays Off |
| C．Luck Falls in an Unexpected Way | D．A Good Play Can Change Your Life |
【推荐2】I came home raging with anger. Once again I had been asked to do "just one more thing". My boss was leaving the company and the president wanted to know if I was interested in taking over the office. The opportunity sounded great—except that I would have no additional help, would receive minimal compensation and would be left in a position at a company that had no chance of being promoted. My poor husband asked what I wanted to do. At first I considered our financial responsibilities. Then I realized I could not take the job; I was not going to settle for a partially rewarding life. I believed my husband and I could make it work.
After giving it much thought, I finally decided to study one of my personal passions: architecture. The only accredited schools were located across the state, so for the first semester, I drove three hours each way twice a week. The stress at home and the struggles in school began taking a physical toll on me. At the end of the first semester I was ready to quit, but I knew this was my chance. So I found a relative who lived halfway between home and school and she offered me a place to stay during the week.
In my personal life, I discovered that many of the women in my family were supportive because they did not follow their own desired study paths. My grandmother never went to college because she became a mother, and my mother only went for a shorter degree because she chose to start a family as well. My husband's family were disappointed that my schooling would push any decision to have grandchildren into our 30s, but my husband was supportive and never apologized for my choice.
I will finish my master's degree in December. Instead of dreading work, I get up each day excited about moving forward. I know there will be days when I still don't want to get out of bed so early, but I am proud of what I am doing and am so glad I decided to take a chance on my future.
1. Which of the following words can be used to describe the president?| A．Greedy. | B．Generous. | C．Hardworking. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．They did a good job in keeping the family. |
| B．They gave up studying further in their life |
| C．They offered no support to the author in her study. |
| D．They made their own dreams about jobs come true. |
| A．She is hopeful about the future. | B．She will get a pay rise. |
| C．She has finished her master's degree. | D．She doesn't have to get up early. |
| A．Why we should work hard at school. | B．What the author's family life is like now. |
| C．The author's family's attitude to her study. | D．How the author makes a change in her life. |
【推荐3】While many people dream of mermaids（美人鱼），few people actually try to become one.How can someone become a mermaid if they don’t exist?Just ask Dana Richardson,who is a professional mermaid in Hawaii!
“As a child,I always felt very connected to the ocean and played mermaids in the water,”says Dana.“My love of the ocean took me to different types of work such as a lifeguard,swim instructor,boat crew member,underwater photographer,boat captain and surfer.I just decided to take it to the next level and grow a tail.”
Dana doesn’t mean literally（照字面地）.In 2008 she began making mermaid tails from materials including shiny fabric（织物）that she wears while free-diving in the waters around Kona,Hawaii.Free-diving means diving without any protective equipment.It requires you to hold your breath while swimming deep underwater.As she dives in,Dana not only like a mermaid;she experiences what it is like to swim like one too.
The waters around Dana’s home in Kona are filled with wildlife,including dolphins and whales.Kona is by a sheltered sea where the waters are calm for swimming.For ten years Dana has been swimming with the creatures of Kona.Some of them have even learned to recognize her.
Dana knows how to swim with sea life because she is a trained marine(海洋的)naturalist.She understands the behavior of sea life and knows how to safely interact with it.Every morning when she swims with sea life she gets to experience her other“home”.“The ocean beneath the depths really is another world.Watching how the world works so gracefully in the circle of life underwater is a beautiful thing.”
For Dana Richardson being a mermaid just makes sense.“I always felt more comfortable underwater than on land,”she says.
Would you like to follow your dream,even if it seems impossible？Dana Richardson reminds everyone,“One person can truly make a difference.By following your heart and offering the world your unique gifts,you will inspire others to do so.The world needs you!”
1. What has been influencing Dana’s work experience most?| A．Her hobby | B．Her family |
| C．Her science teacher | D．Her swim instructor |
| A．She needs them to protect her. |
| B．She wants to swim like a mermaid. |
| C．She needs to make money with them. |
| D．She wants to take photos of mermaids. |
| A．get along well with sea life | B．discover her outstanding gifts |
| C．appreciate the beauty of other people | D．feel comfortable both underwater and on land |
| A．help those in need | B．love marine animals |
| C．try to realize their dreams | D．protect the marine environment |
【推荐1】Many years ago, Coca-Cola ran a brilliant advertising campaign about “The Pause That Refreshes”. They were on to something. Pauses refresh us because they allow us to stop, refocus, and rest.
The older I get, the more I’ve intentionally added pauses to my day. Some pauses are only a few minutes long; others are hours. It may be a walk to a faraway copier at work instead of the one in my department. Or driving an alternate route home. Or a day at the beach. The idea is to relax and rest by changing my thoughts from what stresses me to what refreshes me.
Rest refreshes us. And I rest best by doing nothing. I recently read a little book by Sandy Gingras called How to Live at the Beach. I love this light-hearted, five-minute read. It’s a clue that helps conjure up images of the mentality we have when we’re at the beach—and why we need to transport this beach mentality to our non-beach lives.
My son, his wife, and my grandson live near the beach in Santa Barbara, California. Next to Hawaii, it's one of the most beautiful places in the United States. When I head to the ocean with them, I'm awed by the benefits of the beach. For me, a day at the beach epitomizes (成为缩影) the discipline of doing nothing. It’s a pause. It’s also an example of a simpler life. I’m learning how to bring a beach mentality, and all its benefits, back home with me. A beach mentality slows me down, allows me to think over only what’s in front of me and allows me to fully appreciate what surrounds me in my nine-to-five world.
During the time of “country closure”, I’ve noticed what I typically fail to notice. Who says doing nothing is boring? Doing nothing calms and refuels me.
I’ve realized that by pausing more, I’ve seen more, listened more, heard more, and felt more. Yet, pausing is a discipline all its own. By developing the discipline of doing nothing, I’ve learned that a life of clarity, simplicity, and rest awaits.
1. Why is the advertising campaign run by Coca-Cola mentioned?| A．To make a prediction. | B．To explain a concept. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To illustrate an argument. |
| A．Transform. | B．Imagine. | C．Withdraw. | D．Polish. |
| A．Follow suit. | B．Keep watch. | C．Pursue perfection. | D．Slow down. |
| A．The Discipline of Doing Nothing | B．Being Intentional About Self-Care |
| C．The Price of Every Decision | D．Choosing Joy over Sadness |
【推荐2】“Suffering” is the word that best describes my first year of teaching. I wasn’t prepared for so much stuff on my plate. I didn’t have a handle on class management, and I left each day feeling extremely worn out and defeated.
My first year of teaching was spent learning the new curriculum, developing personalized learning techniques, modifying lessons and analyzing data. I knew these were important work, but I also knew that something was not working. I felt disconnected in my classroom and knew I could do better.
I looked around and saw that there were some teachers who seemed to just take control of everything and really enjoyed what they were doing. I made a decision. I asked if I could sit in on and observe their classes. Over a few months, I observed these teachers around five to seven times, for about 40 to 50 minutes each time. I also watched teachers interact with students outside of the classroom, on the playground, during lunch and in the hallway. I paid attention to their conversations, comments and attitudes.
I started to see that the highest priority for these teachers was forming relationships with students, and thus everything else would fall into place after that. One teacher played basketball with kids during lunch every Friday. Another sat with kids in the lunchroom a few times throughout the week. There was also a teacher who liked to walk during her lunch and would invite different groups of kids to join her for conversations.
I knew I wanted to model myself after these teachers, so I decided to make a change. Making this shift changed me as a teacher, and it noticeably changed the atmosphere in my classroom. I began to feel inspired at school, and I could see that my students were enthusiastic too. They were more prepared to welcome each of my class ahead.
1. How was the author’s first year of teaching?| A．It seemed very tiring. | B．It was under her control. |
| C．It made her feel confident. | D．It seemed quite bittersweet. |
| A．She observed her students carefully. |
| B．She took the new curriculum seriously. |
| C．She developed personalized learning techniques. |
| D．She learned from experienced teachers around. |
| A．Encouraging students to study hard. | B．Building relationships with students. |
| C．Having meals regularly with students. | D．Knowing well about students’ interests. |
| A．The Teaching Method I Like Best |
| B．The Way of a New Teacher’s Growth |
| C．The Suffering of My First Year’s Teaching |
| D．The Relationship Between Students and Me |
【推荐3】I had always dreamed of living and working in New York, which promised endless opportunities. But as soon as I arrived, I realized that my journey was going to be filled with countless setbacks and challenges.
My first major failure came when I landed my dream job at a famous company. However, after just a few months, I was let go due to budget cuts. I was shocked and felt like all of my hard work had been for nothing.
Determined to bounce back, I applied for a new job at another company. This time, things seemed to be going better. I was making progress and gaining valuable experience, but then I was suddenly laid off again due to company restructuring.
Feeling defeated and hopeless, I decided to take a break from the job search and focus on self-improvement. I enrolled in courses and attended workshops to learn new skills and expand my knowledge. But even with all of this effort, I still couldn’t find the right job.
One day, while searching online job listings, I found an opportunity that seemed too good to be true. It was a remote position that offered a competitive salary and flexible hours. Without hesitation, I applied and was thrilled when I received an offer letter.
However, as soon as I started working remotely, I realized that it wasn’t the same as being in an office with colleagues (同事) around me. I struggled to communicate effectively and found it difficult to stay motivated without the support of my team.
Despite these challenges, I refused to give up. I reached out to my colleagues and tried to build relationships with them through virtual meetings and social media. With their help and encouragement, I was able to adapt to the new environment and excel in my role. Looking back on my journey, I realized that success is not about avoiding failure, but rather about learning from it and persevering through the tough times. I encouraged others who may be facing similar challenges in their own careers to never give up on their dreams and to keep pushing forward even when things get tough.
1. How did the author feel about his journey when he arrived?| A．Better. |
| B．Promising. |
| C．Tough. |
| D．Well-paid. |
| A．Company restructuring. |
| B．Financial problems. |
| C．Being short of skills. |
| D．Working attitude. |
| A．He wanted them not to give up. |
| B．He wanted to get support from them. |
| C．He wanted to be better than them. |
| D．He wanted to hold a meeting with them. |
| A．Perseverant. |
| B．Modest. |
| C．Imaginative. |
| D．Generous. |
