My first term at MIT（麻省理工学院）was awesome—I got all A’s, and I declared math as my major. My parents were expecting me to become a doctor like them so I was trying to satisfy them. But I was desperately running away from them. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. My third term, I ended up with a D in math. I didn’t do that well in my other classes, either. It seemed like all my friends were doing so well, getting opportunities over the summers.
My fifth term, I realized that I was awful at higher-level math. I had lost all confidence in myself. I went to a few classes at the beginning of the term, but after by midterm, I had totally stopped. My only relief was the dance team I was on. I would sleep all day, and then go to dance practice, and then go back to sleep. As expected, I failed in all of my classes and had to withdraw from MIT.
I had no choice but to tell my parents. Instead of yelling or hitting me, though, they just held me and cried. The next day, my dad took a day off from work and took me to a nearby, small arts college.
I had lost all confidence in myself. Before my first biology test, I didn’t think I could pass. I did pass. Since I had so much free time, I decided to join a biology lab. I realized that was what I wanted to do! I wanted to be a scientist!
This past May, I graduated with the highest honors, and now I have my PhD in biology. Though it ended up taking me 5 years to graduate from college, I can say now that dropping out of MIT was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I’ve realized that a person is not their grades. I’ve realized how much my parents loved me. I’ve finally discovered my passion（热情）in life!
1. How was the author’s first term at MIT?| A．He was busy with exams. | B．He knew his goals clearly. |
| C．He did well in all subjects. | D．He was fed up with math. |
| A．They hit him. | B．They yelled at him. |
| C．They quit their jobs to teach him. | D．They forgave him for what he did. |
| A．rebuilt his confidence | B．volunteered at many labs |
| C．found it hard to learn biology | D．hated the learning environment |
| A．He felt sorry for his parents. | B．He discovered his true interest. |
| C．He realized the importance of grades. | D．He felt ashamed of his failing at MIT. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Passing biker Anuchit saw the dog twice on a highway in Roi-Et, northeastern Thailand, and last month. He stopped to check on the dog and was told by the locals that it had been sitting at the same place for its owner in the last four years.
Saowaluck , 45, said that she found the dog at that place in early 2016. Then he was so skinny and he had injuries, so Saowaluck took him to the vet, adopted him and named him Leo, but after a couple of days he was missing from her house and appeared at that spot again so she let him stay there and have been coming to feed him every day.
Anuchit decided to share the story of Leo and a video online, prompting the dog's owner to come forward. Video shows Leo sitting by the roadside and looking out as the cars drove past.
Owner Noi , 64, said her dog Bong Bong had gone missing after jumping down from her truck in 2015. “My husband and I drove around to find him but we failed." On seeing the video, she went back to the spot where she lost the dog on September 9, while Leo bounded over excitedly to Noi and let her rub his head. However, he refused to go home when she carried him to the truck. It appeared that Bong Bong needed time to adjust himself, so Noi promised to go back again the next day.
However, that night Saowaluck called Noi and said that she wanted to keep the dog because she had become attached to him. Noi responded that she was more than happy to let the dog stay with Saowalack. She said: "I have no intention to refuse her request. Due to her good care I believed she and the dog will be happy together and I would like her to keep the dog in her house.''
Saowaluck promised to take the dog home and would take good care of him while Noi suggested she was happy to take the dog back, if Saowaluck no longer wanted him.
1. Why had the dog been sitting at the same place for four years?| A．He was fond of freedom. | B．He forgot where he was heading. |
| C．He was waiting for his owner. | D．He was looking for a new family. |
| A．Propose | B．Force |
| C．Promote | D．Urge |
| A．He refused to approach Noi. |
| B．He stayed with Saowalack. |
| C．He jumped over in excitement. |
| D．He rubbed against Noi’s legs. |
| A．She had an intention of being the dog’s new owner. |
| B．She wanted to tell Noi what she had done for the dog. |
| C．She planned to attach the dog to the truck of her own. |
| D．She intended to return the dog to Noi. |
【推荐2】When someone steals something from you, whether it’s valuable or not, it’s completely natural to feel angry, but one thief has managed to turn things around and win sympathy(同情) for his crime. Singer Stevie Valentine said his friend had received an email from a thief who had stolen the laptop containing his university course work.
Apologizing for the theft, the thief said he was poor and needed money but offered to send on any files(文件) the student might need for his course work. Stevie’s tweet has now been liked 26,000 times with many people expressing sympathy for the person who stole the computer.
The unnamed thief started the message by saying he was “very, very sorry” for taking the student’s laptop. “I am extremely poor and needed the money,” the thief explained, “I left your phone and wallet, so I hope that slightly makes up for something.” The thief added, “I can see you are a university student. If there is any file such as university work on here that you need, let me know and I will send them to you. Once again I am sorry.”
“I actually like this thief because of his honesty though he was poor,” one wrote, while several said they would be happy to let the thief keep it after reading that explanation. One said that the message “breaks my heart,” while another added, “This is the nicest thief I’ve ever seen.” One even suggested that the laptop owner should reply and find the thief and give him some money.
However, another said that despite the email being sweet, the student is now left without the laptop and can’t do his work, not to mention being on a limited budget himself.
1. Stevie Valentine’s friend lost ________.| A．his computer | B．his phone |
| C．his wallet | D．his key |
| A．The thief’s complaining and warning |
| B．The thief’s apologizing and explaining |
| C．The thief’s arguing and explaining |
| D．The thief’s apologizing and comforting |
| A．he sent back the files |
| B．he might look nice |
| C．his message was moving |
| D．he needed a laptop |
| A．the email is so sweet that the student will forgive the thief |
| B．the student can still work without the laptop |
| C．no one will have a pity on the student because he is rich |
| D．not everyone can forgive the thief and his theft |
【推荐3】Being deaf in a hearing world can lead to painful feelings of isolation (孤独).
Waitress Kelsey recently shared an experience on a social media sharing site that quickly zoomed (陡直上升) to the top of the “ front page of the Internet”. In her brief post, Kelsey explained that she waits tables at a bar during the evenings, and one night she noticed a deaf man sitting alone in her section (区域).
When Kelsey isn’t working at the bar she makes a good hourly pay doing sign language interpretation (翻译), so she sensed an opportunity to use her skill to make this customer feel a little less alone in the world. She approached his table and began chatting with him in sign language.
When the table next to his noticed their silent conversation they asked Kelsey how long she’d been signing. They had a brief conversation about her goal of becoming certified (合格的) to interpret sign language in a medical or mental health setting.She didn’t think much about the whole exchange until the customers had left the restaurant and she was tidying up the tables. There, on the table of the customers who’d seen her American sign language conversation with the deaf man, was a handwritten note on the receipt.
“Thank you for what you do; it absolutely matters!” the note said. “Good luck with finishing your degree!” Not only that, but they’d left her a $100 tip.
Kelsey was moved by the kind note, especially because she wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. To her, she was just conversing with someone in a language that only they understood. Yet to the deaf man and the people seated next to him she’d bridged a gap and helped someone who probably feels lonely a lot of the time.
Kelsey shared the note on the Internet to spread more love and light in the world.
1. What do we know about Kelsey’s work at the bar？| A．It is her part-time job. |
| B．It goes beyond her ability. |
| C．It requires her to work all day long. |
| D．It offers her a chance to learn sign language. |
| A．He left Kelsey $100 as a tip. |
| B．He could use sign language. |
| C．He found it hard to communicate with Kelsey. |
| D．He was a friend of the customers at the next table. |
| A．She is wasting time working as a waitress. | B．She needs to study further for a degree. |
| C．She should use the Internet as a tool. | D．She is so kind to serve those in need. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．It is never too late to learn. |
| C．Kindness is repaid with kindness. | D．When in Rome, do as Romans do. |
【推荐1】“When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”
On Wednesday, poet Amanda Gorman read her poem, “The Hill We Climb”, at the inauguration (宣誓就职) ceremony of President Joe Biden.
By Thursday, the 22-year-old was a superstar.
Gorman is the youngest poet in U.S. history to mark the change of presidential power. Past inaugural poets include famous writers like Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
Gorman is a native of Los Angeles, California, and in 2017 was named the country’s first Youth Poet Laureate (桂冠). She recently completed her studies at Harvard University.
On Wednesday, Gorman offered a hopeful future for a deeply divided country.
“We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be.
A country that is bruised (瘀紫的) but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.”
Her reading — and the ceremony as a whole — took place exactly two weeks after a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked and occupied the U.S. Capito Building.
Gorman says she had completed a little more than half of “The Hill He Climb” before the January 6 attack at the Capitol.
“That day gave me a second wave of energy to finish the poem,” said Gorman. She chose not to make direct note of the attack, but her references to the event were clear： “We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it.
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy (民主).
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”
Hours after the inauguration her two books — which are to be released later this year — became number 1 and 2 on Amazon, com’s sales list. Gorman’s poetry collection “The Hill We Climb” and her children’s book “Change Sings” are set to be published in September.
1. Which of the following is true of Amanda Gorman?| A．She is the youngest poet in U.S. history. |
| B．She is now studying at Harvard University. |
| C．She is a graduate from Harvard University. |
| D．She was named American first Poet Laureate. |
| A．National unity. | B．Race equality. | C．True freedom. | D．Free speech. |
| A．Bear…in mind. | B．Set…on fire. |
| C．Put…into practice. | D．Break…into pieces. |
| A．She became a best selling author. | B．She turned superstar in pop music. |
| C．She was attacked by a violent mob. | D．She published her book “Change Sings”. |
【推荐2】Five thousand square meters of old damaged cars，motorcycles and boats fill this junkyard.For a casual onlooker，this might be a very sad sight.But for Andy.it's a real treasure.“I’ve been a junk hoarder(囤积者)for my whole life and I like fixing up what shouldn’t be thrown away.Around 200 old cars end up in this junkyard every week.Some of them are sold for parts，others get repaired，and still others are beyond repair.”
His father Bobby started the business some 50 years ago and still spends every morning there.The father and son have very different approaches to their work.They got a Dean cab that was getting thrown away and that was the father’s project，which Andy did not want him to do.“He did basically the opposite of everything I told him and I think he did it just to make me mad.He dumped a ton of money into this car，but in the end it wouldn’t run.”Andy said jokingly.
The unusual family business attracted the attention of a TV crew.That’s how the show Janka Empire came to be featured on a network of the Discovery Channel.This show，five years of shooting，five seasons and 60 episodes(集)，is popular.“There are hundreds of junkyards throughout the United States.I think what’s interesting is that it is a family business.My father and I started the business and we joke very well back and forth and I think that's what people like.The cars that end up at the junkyard come out with endless surprises.See，this was a junk car and we restored it with a blown motor.Yet I don’t get a chance to ride around it too often.Because despite its shining appearance，the noise of the engine is truly deafening and I worry my neighbors will not put up with it.”
1. What does Andy seem to like about his junkyard?| A．He is proud of its large scale. |
| B．He is addicted to collecting things. |
| C．He enjoys creating value out of the waste. |
| D．He has the passion to take over the business one day. |
| A．The father is ready to follow his son’s advice. |
| B．The father goes against his son deliberately. |
| C．The son is impatient and fed up with his father. |
| D．The father and son often disagree with each other. |
| A．There are few junkyards in the United States. |
| B．The father and son work together in a fun way. |
| C．The show is a series of 5 seasons and 60 episodes. |
| D．The family business shows much concern for their neighbors. |
| A．Janka Empire. | B．The family business. |
| C．The shining appearance. | D．The noise of the engine. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出最佳选项。
Just 10 years ago, I sat across the desk from a doctor. “Yes,” he said, “there is something wrong with the left, upper lung. You are suffering a severe cancer. You’ll have to give up work at once. Later on, we’ll see.”
Feeling like a man who is in midcareer has suddenly been placed under sentence of death, I left the doctor’s office, walked over to the park, and sat down on a chair. I needed to think. In the next 3 days, I cleared up my affairs, then I went home, got into bed, and set my watch to tick off not the minutes, but the months. Two years later, I left my bed and began the long climb back. It was another year before I made it.
I speak of this experience because these years that passed so slowly taught me what to value and what to believe. I realize now that each day, to me, is a precious thing. I’ve learned to appreciate those little things I never thought I had the time to notice before: the play of light on running water, the music of the wind.
Frequently, I sit back and say to myself, “Let me make note of this moment I’m living right now, because in it I’m well, happy and hard at work doing what I like best to do. It won’t always be like this, so while it is, I’ll make the most of it—and afterwards, I remember—and be grateful. I contribute all these to that long time spent on the fight with cancer.”
1. Which word can best describe the author’s feeling after visiting the doctor?
| A．Hopeless. | B．Curious. |
| C．Confused. | D．Energetic. |
| A．Two years and a half. | B．Three years. |
| C．Three years and a half. | D．Four years. |
| A．was ill |
| B．started his career |
| C．cleared up his affairs |
| D．struggled to go back to his work |
| A．Patients should know how to get on with doctors. |
| B．Doctors should treat patients more carefully. |
| C．We should pay enough attention to diets. |
| D．We should value and appreciate life. |
【推荐1】Going to college is a new experience full of excitement of the unknown. Socialization is a big thing for college students and it is common to feel a little uncomfortable going into a situation where everyone is a stranger. You may probably miss your friends from high school.
You may find you have lots of things in common with your roommate, but even if you are completely different from each other, with a little effort and understanding the two of you may become best friends.
▲If you leave your door open, this shows that you welcome visitors. As a result people will naturally stop in and say hello. Closed doors are not likely to bring many visitors and those who stay locked up in their rooms may give others the impression of being cold. Other students will be less likely to stop in and build a new friendship.
▲ Join clubs or organizations.Getting involved in organized socialization is a great way to meet new people.
If you’re athletic trying out for a sport will do for you the same thing that joining a club will do.
| A．Trying actively to find new friends can help ease the feelings of being lonely. |
| B．Close the door to keep away from theft. |
| C．Your roommate is the first person you will have close contact with. |
| D．Hang a welcome sign on your dorm room. |
| E．Get to know your classmates as you’ll be spending several months with them. |
| F．You will instantly meet a large group of people who share your interests in sports. |
| G．It also helps you get more familiar with the campus. |
【推荐2】I’m Li Ying. I like to set goals for myself. I’m a “go-getter” — when I set out to do something, I do my best to achieve it.
Senior secondary school is a new start. Studying is definitely a big part of my life. I tend to set a goal for every subject at the beginning of each term. My aim is to do well in every subject this term. Biology is my favorite subject, and my target is to prepare myself for my degree in biology at university. I am always attentive in all classes and think actively, so that I can have more free time to do other things that I am interested in after school.
I like reading books of all kinds. I have a top 10 reading list and I try to keep it updated. Meanwhile, I’m an active member of my school’s long-distance running team and volunteering club. It always makes me excited to work hard and achieve a team goal together.
To achieve all I want, I must use my time well. At school, I do my homework when I have spare time. After school, I try to use any possible time to revise the things I have learnt during the day. For example, it usually takes me 20 minutes to get home by bus. I often use the time to review English words. As the popular saying goes, “Every minute counts!”
Set a goal and get ahead!
1. Which of the following can best describe Li Ying?| A．Hard-working and determined. | B．Imaginative and honest. |
| C．Humorous and shy. | D．Easy-going and polite. |
| A．She often has a rest. |
| B．She often listens to music. |
| C．She often goes over English words. |
| D．She often chats with other passengers. |
| A．Someone who is good at surfing the Internet. |
| B．Someone who is afraid to make mistakes. |
| C．Someone who is under stress. |
| D．Someone who works hard and tries his/her best to get the job done well. |
【推荐3】Starting high school can be difficult. Everyone is nervous and nobody knows where to go for classes.
It might be much easier said than done, but try to take a deep breath and find your voice. Don’t be afraid to approach (接触) people, introduce yourself and start a conversation about something you have in common. Sit in the middle of the classroom with as many new friends around you as possible.
Join clubs.
Stay clean.
No one likes a bad smell that could knock someone over. Shower every day, brush your teeth and wash your hair.
Be respectful (尊重的) of people’s differences.
Everyone has his or her own opinion of the world and everyone believes in different things. It’s a good thing to have different friends with different opinions because you can each share your own.
Cliques (小团体) can hurt.
We all have been left out of something in our lives and this hurts people’s feelings. Be considerate (体贴的) of the people around you.
| A．If you see someone sitting alone, |
| B．Forget your fear and just talk to someone. |
| C．If you feel tired and don’t know what to do, |
| D．Try to ask whoever you meet on campus a question. |
| E．Try to make yourself look neat (整洁的), whatever you wear. |
| F．Thinking about making new friends might make you feel nervous, too. |
| G．Join in with after-school activities that interest you and make friends in the club. |
