I’m a student in my fourth year of a biomedical science degree at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, but I also work 38 hours a week at Sainsbury’s to make ends meet. I do three night shifts a week, plus overtime if I can get it. Monday is the most occupied day for me — I work from 10 pm until 8 am on Saturday and Sunday nights, earning just over £100 a night, and then I have to be at my first lecture at 9 am on Monday. By the time I finish lectures, at 2 pm, I’m exhausted, but I know I have to be back at work by 10 pm.
I constantly have to force myself to stay awake, and to be alert, whatever it takes. A packet of Skittles and a Red Bull usually helps. The work I do at Sainsbury’s is very physical like stacking shelves. I’m lucky because I’m an active person and the amount I lift at work is nothing compared with the weights I lift in the gym. I know I have the strength to bear it.
I’m originally from Nigeria. I came here when I was seven, growing up in Croydon, south London. Money was tight. My parents gave me everything I needed, but there was no money to spend on luxuries. I worked hard at school though and, with the help of GT Scholars, I got some of the best A-level grades in my class.
Unfortunately, though I had applied for “settled” British residential status when very young, the Home Office waited until I was in sixth form to approve my application. That meant I wasn’t eligible for a student loan. The only way I could afford to go to university was that if I got a job that would pay for all my living costs and my parents, who work in market research, paid for my tuition fees. In Scotland, that’s about £7,000 a year.
I don’t have much time to socialize because of my job. Ideally, I would also like to have more time to study so I can excel at my course. Yes, I have a lot on my plate, but working hard isn’t new to me. Growing up, my parents and my mentors in the church and at GT Scholars cultivated in me the importance of working hard for what I want in life.
My dream is to do an MA in physiotherapy next year and then get a job working for the NHS. But right now, I’m just focused on trying to get the best grades I can. Whenever I find life hard, I tell myself this is about my future. I don’t need much, but I would like to worry less about money and have more free time. That is what I look forward to the most.
1. Why does the author work long hours and sometimes overtime every week?A.To help his parents pay off the debts. | B.To pay for his tuition fees. |
C.To prove his ability to earn money. | D.To pay for his own living expenses. |
A.responsible | B.qualified | C.feasible | D.anxious |
A.Sociable. | B.Diligent. | C.Ambitious. | D.Persistent. |
A.A penny saved is a penny earned. | B.Actions speak louder than words. |
C.God helps those who help themselves. | D.Where there is life, there is hope. |
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【推荐1】Jacky Hunt-Broers ma, who lost one leg to cancer, is seeking to break a world record by completing 102 marathon runs. She set her goal in mid-January. And since then, she has been running the distance of a marathon. Most of the time, she averages just over five hours to complete a run. If she keeps successfully completing marathon runs every day, she will reach her goal by April 28. Until five years ago, she was not very active. But then she looked into running and decided to give it a try. The sport ended up being quite costly. Currently, she runs on an artificial leg made of a strong, light material known as carbon fiber. The material, which is designed specially for running, costs about $10, 000.
But Jacky says her investment has been well worth it. The biggest struggle used to be that she had to admit part of her body was gone. “Running really changed my life,” she said. “It helped me accept myself as an amputee (截肢者). It gave me a sense of freedom. I fell in love with the process of pushing my body further just to see what I could do.”
However, she has faced both physical and mental difficulties during her record-breaking attempt. On one recent day, Jacky said she felt like giving up at 24 kilometers and began to cry. “I had a total emotional breakdown. I was like, ‘I just can’t do this.’” she said.
Jacky is documenting her progress online and has also gained a large social media following. As she nears the end of her goal, Jacky is hoping to inspire a single thought in others. She tells people, “You’re stronger than you think and you’re able to do so much more.”
1. What is Jacky’s goal according to paragraph 1?A.To defeat a deadly disease. | B.To break her 5-hour record. |
C.To be a professional runner. | D.To finish 102 marathon runs. |
A.Difficult but rewarding. | B.Interesting but challenging. |
C.Enjoyable and eye-opening. | D.Stressful and time-consuming. |
A.Health is the key to happiness. |
B.Actions speak louder than words. |
C.Chance favours the prepared mind. |
D.Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
【推荐2】We were on our way home from Houston one Saturday morning. We decided to stop at a local gas station to get coffee and something to snack on since it was a good hour and a half before we got home.
When we were done, we got back into our car and before I started it, we noticed a man standing outside in front of the building. He was a homeless man with worn clothes and it looked like he had gone in and gotten himself some coffee or something warm to drink since it was cold this time of the year. He must have not had enough money to get something to eat.
Then a dog walked up to the front of the building. I could tell she was a “she”, because you could tell that she had baby dogs. She was terribly in need of something to eat and I felt so bad for her. I knew if she didn’t eat soon, she and her baby dogs would not make it.
I and my wife sat there and looked at her. We noticed that people walked by and didn’t even pet her, like most people do when they walk by an animal in front of a store. We still did not do anything. But the homeless man, who I thought did not buy himself anything to eat, went back into the store. And what he did brought tears to me and my wife. He had gone into the store and with what money he may have had, bought a can of dog food and fed that dog.
This story plays a great part in our lives. You see, that was Mother’s Day weekend. And a lot of people forget that some animals are parents too.
It took a homeless man, to show me what I should have done. He made me a better man that day.
1. The homeless man only had something to drink because ________.A.he felt cold that day | B.he was thirsty only |
C.the store only provided drinks | D.he didn’t have enough money for food |
A.were puzzled | B.were indifferent |
C.were greatly moved | D.regretted they hadn’t done anything |
A.not have to die | B.not survive |
C.have to attack people | D.lose their homes |
A.Animals Are Parents Too. | B.A Lucky Mother Dog. |
C.Mother’s Day Weekend. | D.A kind Homeless Man. |
【推荐3】As we know it, it’s not unusual to find such private message on Facebook: “Hey, girl. Wanted to invite you to join my next challenge group-we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise and balanced nutrition.”
It was all becoming too much. Facebook was running my life, not me.
But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how much “likes” it had got. His question was a wake-up call.
“Likes” are signs of acceptance and approval. I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.
Before Facebook, surfing the Internet was an occasional distraction and I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.
To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a healthier example for my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.
I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.
I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I’m in trouble, and I’ll help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.
I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment.
The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.
After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends’ kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family far and wide. I look in on a daily basis, but no longer with the desire constantly to post updates.
1. The underlined word“deactivate”in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to___________.A.update | B.quit |
C.label | D.close |
A.She went to the gym as often as she could. |
B.She got into some healthy habits. |
C.She tried to make money for her holidays. |
D.She traveled around a lot for a year. |
A.It gave her time to find beauty in life. |
B.It distanced her from her friends. |
C.It stopped her using social media. |
D.It left her space to educate herself. |
A.doubtful about | B.supportive of |
C.cautious about | D.indifferent to |
【推荐1】I graduated in 1941 and of course got caught in the war. In 1945 I was out, twenty-one years old, a soldier through 35 bombing missions, and at the University of Washington taking creative writing courses, something I'd looked forward to all through the Air Force.
I'd started writing when I was nine and writing seemed to be the only thing I'd ever be able or want to do. My teacher was a new man named Grant Redford, a very good short story writing teacher and a sad man. He was from Montana and had been connected with the old Rocky Mountain Review. I think it became the Western Review but I'm not sure and I don't bother to look it up. I'm afraid I was never much of a student for Redford. My stories were hopelessly self-indulgent(任性的); on and on about my personal problems, without form, without development, and without even any good writing.
However, I did write humor in those days and had no trouble getting it published in the campus magazine, though I'd hate to see it now. Mostly my writing was used to get myself attention, to satisfy a terrible personal interest in self-admiration, and it wasn't until I concentrated all my efforts on poems that I was to realize the only real reward of writing, that special way you feel just when you've done something you like. That's far more satisfying than seeing your name in print, good reviews, praise or applause after a reading. And more lasting.
1. What do we know about the author's childhood?A.A good student of his teacher. | B.Crazy about writing. |
C.Good at telling short stores. | D.Longing to be a pilot. |
A.Productive. | B.Successful. |
C.Struggling. | D.A complete failure. |
A.Short stories. | B.Poems. |
C.Humorous stories. | D.Good reviews. |
【推荐2】We’re now witnessing the emergence (出现) of an advanced economy based on information and knowledge. Physical labor, raw materials, and capital (资本) are no longer the key ingredients in the creation of wealth.
In the new world of work, you can look forward to being in constant training to acquire new skills that will help you keep up with improved technologies and procedures.
A.You have to empower yourself. |
B.As the saying goes, knowledge is power. |
C.What does all this mean for you? |
D.Wealth will be created by people with knowledge |
E.Now, the vital raw material in our economy is knowledge. |
F.You can also expect to be taking greater control of your career. |
G.Knowledge workers get paid for their education and their ability to learn. |
【推荐3】We outline how you can realize your teaching dream in California.
Have a Bachelor’s degree from a qualified institution.
This is the minimum academic requirements before landing a teaching job in California.
Complete a teacher certification program in California.
The Commission for Teacher Credentialing (CTC) sets the main teaching conditions that you must complete before landing a teaching job in California. This is normally a preparation program on your preferred subject as well as general qualification tests for educators. Your math, reading, and writing skills will be assessed via the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST). For multi - course teachers, you’ll need to pass the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) Multiple Subjects Exam. Moreover, all candidates should go through the U. S. constitution and pass an accompanying test.
Fulfill the student teaching requirements and necessary teaching hours.
A regular teaching program is approved by the CTC, and candidates must complete at least 600 hours’ worth of field experience. You will be guided by a licensed practitioner (专业人员) when taking part in co - teaching or teaching residency (实习). Normally, there are different requirements depending on your program.
The background check.
This is mostly an administrative matter. Requirements must go through a Live Scan. The aim of this check is to figure out whether applicants have prior run - ins with the law.
Send in your application.
After going through the procedure, you can then apply to be a certified teacher in California. Normally, you’ll need to provide relevant performance reports of teacher certification programs and prove that you have the required skills to handle students. The application process is through the CTC online entrance.
Pay the fees.
Potential teachers should expect a $ 100 fee when applying and a further $ 2. 50 to facilitate the online process. Candidates from a different state submitting fingerprint cards normally part with $ 49.
1. What can we learn from the passage?A.Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree can apply for a teaching job in California. |
B.CBEST can estimate some basic skills of candidates. |
C.Every applicant should finish about hundreds of hours’ teaching residency. |
D.An administrative background check is unnecessary if candidates have prior run - ins with the law. |
A.By making a call to the CTC. | B.By providing relevant performance reports. |
C.By accessing the site. | D.By visiting a certified teacher. |
A.$ 49. | B.$ 53. 5. | C.$ 102. 5. | D.$ 151. 5. |