Growing up in Venezuela, there was never really much cause to learn English. For five years, I spent two hours a week understanding “to be”, numbers, colours, and the differences between saying “good evening” and “good night”. I would always get top marks. Yes, that used to be me, walking like a queen among Spanish speakers every day. “Bring it on, life,” I said. “I can deal with whatever you will give.”
But when I moved to Canada, life hit me so hard that it knocked me down. Years later, I was still recovering. Living in a new land, with different people, new rules, new weather, a new culture and language, I was no longer a queen. Did I speak English? No, not at all. So, I went back to school, thinking that it was a challenge I would conquer in record time. But English was more like a wall in my path. Even after getting a job, it took all my courage to stop myself from crying. I was completely at a loss and scared. Learning English, speaking and listening—it hurt me. Not the language. Not the unkind people. It hurt because I wasn’t good, despite my efforts.
Now, after almost seven years in Canada, I’ve decided not to say sorry for my accent, grammar mistakes, or pronunciation. I’m going to run after my dreams and enjoy a beautiful, rich and fascinating language. Don’t get me wrong. My brain still screams “Give me a break!” from time to time, but that’s completely natural. I know it’s going to take a while, but at least now I accept the person I am—not the perfect person I thought I was.
1. What can we learn about learning English in Venezuela from the passage?| A．Everyone put in much time. | B．The author didn’t need much effort. |
| C．Its standard was very high. | D．It brought advantages to students. |
| A．She looked down on others. |
| B．She was brave in competitions. |
| C．She was proud of her level of foreign languages. |
| D．She felt confident enough to face any challenge. |
| A．She regretted not working hard in English. |
| B．She expected to improve her English easily. |
| C．She quickly put her language talent to use. |
| D．She found her feet in the new environment quickly. |
| A．The author has a practical understanding of herself. |
| B．The author can speak English quite well now. |
| C．The author has conquered her fear of English finally. |
| D．The author is worried about her English. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】When I made the decision to quit my full-time employment, I never thought that I could get involved in an increasing global trend. I had to leave my relatively high-profile position for an unexpected move that hurt my pride and prevented me from getting promoted. Yet, I excused my departure by saying “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.
Curiously, after around two and a half years, my experience in what Americans refer to as “downshifting” has turned my excuse into an absolute reality. I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of Linda Kelsey’s “have it all” concept, which she has been promoting for the past seven years in the pages of She magazine, into a woman who is content to accept a little bit of everything.
I have discovered that abandoning the idea of “juggling your life” and adopting the alternative strategy of “downshifting” has benefits that go far beyond financial success and social status. Nothing could convince me to go back to the lifestyle Kelsey used to promote and which I had previously enjoyed: 12-hour workdays, tight deadlines, the terrifying pressure of office politics, and the demand of being a parent on “quality time”.
After the widespread layoffs (裁员) brought on by cost-cutting in the late 1980s, America started to move toward a simpler, less materialistic way of life as a response to the economic downturn. In America, simplifying one’s life is frequently done for financial reasons, but in Britain, at least among the middle class I know, we have different motivations for doing so. For the women of my generation who were encouraged to keep juggling, downshifting is not so much a search for a mythical (虚无的) good life—growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one—as a personal recognition of your limitations.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．The writer didn’t take pride in her original job. |
| B．Full-time employment is a new international trend. |
| C．The writer was eager to spend more time with her family. |
| D．The writer was forced to resign due to an external factor. |
| A．The writer abandoned her high social status for downshifting. |
| B．Downshifting allowed the writer to make her dream come true. |
| C．The writer changed her way of thinking through downshifting. |
| D．The writer accepted the concept of She magazine because of downshifting. |
| A．Settling for a bit of everything. |
| B．Choosing to live a simple life. |
| C．Adopting a busy and stressful lifestyle. |
| D．Staying away from a materialistic way of life. |
| A．It is never too late to pursue your dream. |
| B．Downshifting results in a more satisfactory and simpler life. |
| C．There is a difference between the American and British cultures. |
| D．People should adopt downshifting to search for mythical experiences. |
【推荐2】When young, I loved going on trail (小路)runs. It was my favorite way to escape stress. So, When I was back in my hometown after a tough first year of my Ph.D. program, I thought a trail run was just what I needed. But instead of helping me relax, the run did just the opposite.
After I moved to the city for college, where my runs were on flat concrete paths instead of winding dirt trails, I used a GPS watch.When I went on trail runs again in the country, it constantly reminded me of the fact that I wasn’t keeping up with my usual pace. I turned my watch off, thinking that would allow me to enjoy my surroundings and find the peace I expected, but I worried I was underperforming. Why cant I let go and just enjoy myself? I wondered. But after some introspection(反省), I realized why I was struggling ——both on trail runs and in graduate school.
Going into my Ph.D., I had thought that my solid undergraduate track record would set me up for instant success. To my surprise, I was wrong. I lacked confidence in my research abilities which I thought stopped me performing well and I constantly felt my progress was too slow. Other students’ self -confidence and their excellent results made me feel insecure. Finally, one day I broke down in tears in my adviser’s office.
Then came my visit home: I was having trouble because I hadn’t properly adjusted my expectations to the differences between an urban run and a trail run.
A Ph. D. is like a trail run: Sometimes you can run fast. Sometimes you might find yourself climbing up a steep, winding trail at a snail’s pace. And that’s OK. Barriers are unavoidable and success looks and feels different on a challenging trail than it does on a smooth, flat path. Sometimes it’s best to take a deep breath and do your best to meet the challenge.
1. How did the author feel when he was on trail runs again?| A．Relaxed | B．Tired | C．Anxious | D．Happy |
| A．His lack of confidence | B．His lack of hard work |
| C．His poor research abilities | D．His poor track record |
| A．Failure is the mother of success | B．Working out regularly is beneficial |
| C．It's important to make necessary adjustments | D．It's vital to turn to others for help |
【推荐3】I’m racing on the 1,500-metre track (跑道) with my friend, Mary. I’m tired and my throat is giving me much pain. I want to stop but a voice repeating in my head keeps me running: “No one knows what the result will be. Everything is still possible.” Today, I have to fight with myself.
Nine years ago, when I was a 6-year-old girl, my mother took me on a trip. We went to the foot of a high mountain which she told me that we would climb. I had never done this before and the thought of it made me very happy.
At the beginning, I climbed fast. But half an hour later, when I was thirsty and tired, I just stopped and sat upon the ground , completely silent. My mom came and sat next to me.
She said, “Get up and go on!”
Almost shouting, and with tears in my eyes, I replied, “No, I don’t want to do this. It’s too tiring and I am thirsty. I don’t like it. I want to go back home now.”
Patiently she explained, “Listen, my dear. If you try your best, anything is possible. If you don’t try, your dreams will never come true. However hard the task is, we must finish it. You will never know how beautiful the scenery looks unless you reach the top of the mountain.”
Hearing her words, I stopped crying and started to climb again. Finally I made it; I did reach the top of the mountain and enjoyed the glorious view.
Today I’m on the racing track. I’m going to keep running because I know its always worthwhile (值得做的) to finish.
And in the end I managed it; I got through the finish line. Although it was really difficult and I did not win, I did make it. As former Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015) said, “Never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined (命定的) place — that is, the unique you.”
1. What event is the author taking part in?| A．Jumping. | B．Running. |
| C．Boxing. | D．Climbing. |
| A．Sweet. | B．Simple. |
| C．Beautiful. | D．Strange. |
| A．Abdul Kalam. | B．Mary. |
| C．Her teacher. | D．Her mother. |
| A．The author won the race in the end. |
| B．The author got through the finish line in the end. |
| C．The author climbed the mountain with her parents. |
| D．The author disliked the splendid view on the top of the mountain. |
| A．No pains, no gains. | B．A small act makes a difference. |
| C．Hard work is the key to success. | D．To reach our aims, never give up. |
【推荐1】A successful businessman, addressing the commercial club of his city, told a story of an orphan (孤儿) named Jim.
Jim was 12 years old, who was the laughing stock of the whole town. He never remembered having a kind word spoken to him in his whole life. One day as Jim walked down the street, he saw some flowers slip from a little lady’s arms just in front of him. Jim gathered up the flowers and replaced them in her arms. “Thank you, dear; you are a nice little boy.” she said kindly, and went on her way after giving him a bright smile.
Jim was amazed. These were the first kind words he had ever heard in his whole twelve years of existence. He stood and stared after her until she was out of sight, then he made straight for a stream. He sat down on the bank of the stream and did some thinking. “Thank you, dear; you are a nice little boy,” he thought. Finally the boy pulled from his pockets a piece of broken mirror and looked at himself. He saw nothing but dirt. He went down to the water and washed his face carefully, almost painfully. Then he looked again. He scarcely recognized himself. He stood straight and looked up instead of down for the first time since he could remember.
A feeding of self-respect awoke within his being. At that moment the course of his life was changed; a determination to be worthy of the kind words spoken to him by the little lady, and to pass them on, took possession of his soul. After telling this story of Jim, the speaker paused and then he shocked the audience by saying, “Gentlemen, I was that boy. That gentle woman implanted in my life the first seed of kindness. As a tribute to her memory I have told you this story.”
1. What does the author mean by “the laughing stock” in paragraph 2?| A．Jim liked playing jokes on others. |
| B．Jim was always laughed at by others, |
| C．Jim was good at making others happy. |
| D．Jim had interest in telling funny stories. |
| A．Brave. | B．Clever. |
| C．Friendly. | D．Honest. |
| A．Jim wanted people to say kind words to others. |
| B．The lady became very famous because of that story. |
| C．It was the first time for Jim to tell his story to others. |
| D．Jim made a tot of money by telling his stories to others. |
| A．A Story of Jim | B．A Good Lady |
| C．A Kind Word | D．A Successful Businessman |
【推荐2】Susan Casado felt well prepared to have a birthday party of 15 to 20 guests for her son, Shemy, who celebrated his fourth birthday on Saturday. But after none of the boy’s friends arrived, she never expected she’d be hosting nearly 100 surprise guests at her home.
Susan tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she was disappointed when her brother was the only person to show up at the party at first. After seeing that she had tears in her eyes, however, Shemy’s uncle connected with a local Facebook group to call for more people to join the celebration. Moments later, a woman arrived at Susan’s home asking for the birthday boy, although the family had never met her before.
As people continued to arrive, the mother realized that her brother had something to do with it, and was then shown a Facebook post that he made to advertise the party.
After more unexpected guests continued to arrive, however, Susan began to worry about the amount of food that she had prepared. “I felt so embarrassed,” she explains. But guests didn’t care about the food and drinks. Instead, they told the birthday boy’s mother that they were there to “make Shemy’s day”, which even got better once the guests of honor arrived from St. Johas County Fire Rescue.
“My first thought was,” Is everybody okay? Is anybody hurt? And then they said, “We’re coming here to say happy birthday to Shemy, Susan says, ”They said, We brought you a big toy, we brought you a fire truck.”
Susan went on to explain that although Shemy has Down’s syndrome (唐氏综合症) and isn’t able to say much, he does express his happiness with laughter and hugs.” He hugs when he feels happy, so when people came in to meet him, we took pictures together and he hugged them. This is the way that he says thank you.”
When Susan asked her brother why he went through the extra effort to make sure that his nephew’s party was amazing, she says that he told her, “He should have a good birthday.” As for the firefighters who attended, they told the family that it’s all part of the job. One of the firefighters, Jeremy Robshaw, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that they just wanted to “bring a smile” to Shemy’s face.
1. Susan felt embarrassed at the party because _________.| A．a guest was hurt | B．the food was not enough |
| C．none of the guests arrived | D．a female stranger appeared |
| A．Through an invitation |
| B．By receiving a phone |
| C．By reading a message on Facebook |
| D．Through an advertisement on Yahoo Lifestyle. |
| A．Shemy showed his thanks through physical touch |
| B．Shemy’s uncle brought him a toy truck as a gift |
| C．Shemy was popular with his friends |
| D．Shemy’s uncle was a firefighter |
“That $6,000 is mine!” Pap was screeching louder than an owl caught by a wild dog. “And I could get it if they’d ever start that stupid trial! You know what that lawyer told me? He said even when I get that money, the widow will still try to take you back to live with her.”
I started thinking about my fancy clothes and shiny shoes. I’d gotten used to these old rags again.
“She can’t have you!” he bellowed. “You’re my son!” He piped down a little and looked at me with those dark eyes of his. “Get on out to the boat and fetch the supplies I brought from town.”
I didn’t argue one bit.It was good to be outside again, even if it was for just a few minutes.I looked down at the things he’d gotten. There was a sack of cornmeal, a side of bacon, and a large jug of whiskey.I toted them up to the cabin, and then went back down to bring the boat up on the shore so it wouldn’t wash away.
I looked back at the cabin, and then over at the woods. If I wanted to, I could take off running right now. I’d just keep going as far away as my feet would carry me. But that’s when Pap yelled, “Boy, are you asleep or drowned?”
I trudged back up to the cabin. By then it was nearly dark.
I was cooking our supper when the old man started drinking. He still kept on yelping about the government. He was fighting mad. But after a while, he’d drank too much and fell asleep right there on the floor.
I figured I could sneak over and take the key from his pocket, but he was having a restless sleep. He kept moaning and rolling around. I knew it was no use! I waited and waited for him to settle down, but then I got too tired. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, and I fell asleep.
It was after sunup when Pap woke me. “Get out there and catch us some fish,” he ordered.
I grabbed my pole and headed out. The water in the river was running swift, and all kinds of branches and bark were floating downstream. I knew then that the water had risen.
I was about to throw my fishing line in when I saw something else floating toward me. It was a canoe.
I couldn’t let it pass by. I jumped in and swam over to it. It was empty inside. I thought, Pap will love this. I bet it’s worth ten dollars. But then I had a better idea.
I pulled that canoe up on the banks and hid it behind some bushes. When I had my chance, I’d paddle the canoe down the river and set up camp. No one would ever find me. “Where’ve you been, and why are you so wet?” Pap fussed. When I got back.
“I fell in the river.”
He grumped around a while, and then locked me inside the cabin again. Once he set off for town, I had my chance.
1. Which one is not true according to the passage?| A．My adoptive (收养的) mother would like to take me back to her arms. |
| B．I dislike the beautiful clothes & shoes. |
| C．My Pap totally doesn’t trust the layer. |
| D．I try my best to follow my Pap. |
| A．Let Pap have a good sleep. | B．Make a success of stealing the key. |
| C．Help Pap get the $6,000. | D．I have the chance to fall asleep. |
| A．the key | B．the idea | C．a fishing line | D．a canoe |
| A．generous | B．friendly | C．rough | D．secure |
| A．to escape from my Pap. | B．to find my Mum. |
| C．to swim in a river. | D．to set off for town. |
【推荐1】Growing up in suburbia, yard work was punishment. I’d take almost anything else. I didn’t like being outside, and I especially didn’t like bugs or dirt.
When I left home at 17 with a backpack of belongings, I figured my gardening days were behind me. There were no yards to work in—only concrete! The concrete jungle that awaited me seemed like a welcome escape from the outdoor chores that had once felt like a sentence.
It wasn’t until my mid-20s that I, thinking it was the adult thing to do, brought home a small daisy (雏菊) in a pot to put on my fire escape. Less than 24 hours later, a squirrel (松鼠) arrived and dragged it away, pot and all. That’s New York for you! I took it as a sign and didn’t try any more plants in that apartment.
When I married, my wife and I bought a house in outer Brooklyn. There was enough room to have a garden if we wanted one. We decided to see if we could grow anything, mostly for the novelty factor. Much to my surprise, digging in the dirt felt like fun and totally not a chore! In the early mornings, I would bend down to inspect the soil waiting for the plants to appear. Watering at dusk, I whispered to the baby plants, expecting them to keep growing. The plants kept the neighborhood squirrels fed and provided a place for bumblebees to nap. I felt a rush of power and excitement.
As the flowers and vegetables bloomed, I noticed something in me was growing as well. Since running away from home as a teenager, I’ve always done my best to build a shelter for myself wherever I was living. I hung pictures on the walls. I built new holiday traditions with friends. I painted the walls bright colors. But it always felt like maybe that deep connection to a particular space was missing. In gardening, I finally found this new layer of depth. I guess you could say I was putting down roots.
There is an inspiring, self-care practice in the time and energy it takes to plant, water, and wait and wait to see if the magic happens. It’s the act of growing that I find the sweetest.
What are you growing?
1. How does the author interpret his departure at 17?| A．As a necessary step for growth. | B．As a great relief. |
| C．As an escape from social expectations. | D．As a bittersweet transition. |
| A．There was a shift in his perspective. | B．He regarded a squirrel as a bad sign. |
| C．He began to miss the days before 17. | D．A sense of responsibility grew in him. |
| A．A colorful life. | B．Friends’ respect. |
| C．Creative ideas. | D．A sense of belonging. |
| A．their own sources of growth | B．the importance of gardening |
| C．the output of the growing plants | D．their favorite flowers and vegetables |
【推荐2】When she was just 9 years old, Hilde Lysiak became famous across the United States for reporting on different news stories.
Hilde Lysiak’s father was a reporter for New York Daily News. When she was young, he often took her to work with him, so she developed a strong interest in news reporting.
At age 8, Hilde Lysiak started her own newspaper, called Orange Street News (OSN). Her family lived on Orange Street at the time. Hilde Lysiak wanted to cover stories important to everyone in her town. Following the rules her father had taught her, she researched and reported stories in her monthly newspaper. She also set up her own website and reported on YouTube.
OSN suddenly became famous when a murder happened in town, and 9-year-old Hilde was the first person to report it. Soon, news organizations around the country were writing and reporting stories about Hilde. However, not everyone was happy about Hilde’s efforts. Some people criticized (批评) her parents for allowing her to report on something as unpleasant as a murder. Others criticized Hilde for “pretending to be a reporter”. Hilde was upset about the complaints (埋怨). She responded with a YouTube video, “I never began my newspaper so that people would think I was cute,” she said. “I want to be taken seriously. I am sure other kids do, too.”
That wasn’t the first time Hilde had found it hard for people to take her seriously, which was mainly because of her age. But she never let that stop her. Hilde continued reporting.
In 2019, Hilde wrote a book for young people, called Hilde Cracks the Case, which is based on stories that Hilde wrote. The book was then turned into a TV show called Home Before Dark. For now, Hilde says she has given up reporting. But her efforts have already inspired people around the world.
1. How did Hilde develop her passion for news reporting?| A．By going to work with her father. |
| B．By reading so many news reports herself. |
| C．By watching how other reporters perform their jobs. |
| D．By teaching herself the skills and knowledge about news reporting. |
a. The murder was first reported.
b. The book Hilde Cracks the Case came out.
c. The TV show Home Before Dark was shot.
d. The newspaper Orange Street News was started.
| A．d-a-b-c | B．b-c-a-d | C．d-c-b-a | D．a-d-c-b |
| A．She was too young as a reporter. |
| B．She frequently reported unpleasant news. |
| C．She often made up stories that were unreal. |
| D．She usually made mistakes in reporting news stories. |
| A．She turned to her father for help and comfort. |
| B．She posted a YouTube video to express herself. |
| C．She felt disappointed and gave up reporting immediately. |
| D．She published an article in New York Daily News to defend herself. |
【推荐3】In the dream, I’m trying to catch the falling eggs. Every few seconds, I spot an egg coming down at me fast from above, and I run around trying to catch them all.
Where are the eggs coming from? There must be a guy up there on top of the building, but I can’t see him.
We forget nearly all our dreams, but two decades later, it invaded my nights many times again when I was in training to become a cancer surgeon. Sometimes, surgery was the last hope of patients.
At that time, I was confident to become a great cancer surgeon. But more and more, I found myself torn. I felt happy every time we finished a successful procedure-we had caught the egg, or so we thought.
When I finally recognized the fruitlessness of this, I grew so frustrated that I quit medicine. But then some events occurred and ended up totally changing my mind. I made my way back with a fresh approach, and new hope.
| A．Everyone may have repetitive dreams. |
| B．But I fail, no matter how hard I try. |
| C．I’m too busy and helpless to think about him. |
| D．Medicine is obviously valuable and convenient. |
| E．Though difficult and dangerous, it did extend patients’ life. |
| F．However, I was beginning to wonder how “success” was defined. |
| G．The reason why I go back to my dream is about the falling eggs. |
