A businessman (商人) was once deep in debt (债务) and could see no way out. He sat on a park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company.
Suddenly an old man appeared in front of him. “I can see that something is troubling you”, he said. After listening to the businessman’s story, the old man said, “I believe I can help you.”
He asked the man his name, wrote out a check and pushed it into his hand, saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.” Then he turned and disappeared.
The businessman saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest men in the world.
“It can solve my problem!” the businessman realized. But instead, he decided to put the check in his safe. “Just knowing it was there might give me the strength to work out a way to save my business,” he thought.
With renewed optimism, he negotiated (协商) better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.
Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the businessman was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and caught the old man.
“I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the hospital and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.” And then she led the old man away by the arm.
The businessman just stood there, surprised. All year long he’d been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, believing he had half a million dollars behind him.
Suddenly, he realized that it wasn’t the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.
1. The businessman had some trouble with his company, didn’t he?2. What did the old man do after listening to the businessman’s story?
3. According to the story, who was the old man actually?
4. Why was the businessman able to save his company at last?
5. What can you learn from the story?
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Many years ago, two friends, Mike and Jim, were walking through the desert (沙漠). After a while, they began to quarrel (争吵) about small things. Suddenly, Mike hit Jim in the face. Jim was hurt, but he said nothing. He just wrote in the sand: Today my best friend hit me in the face.
They went on walking, and at last, they found a river. So they decided to have a swim. Suddenly, Jim got stuck in the mire (陷在泥里). At that moment, Mike saved him. After Jim felt better, he wrote on a stone (石头): Today my best friend saved my life.
Mike saw this and asked, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand. After I saved you, you wrote on a stone. Why?”
Jim answered, “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand. So winds of forgiveness (宽恕) can blow (吹) it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave (铭刻) it in stone, then no wind can ever blow it away.”
1. When did the story happen?2. Did Jim say anything when Mike hit him?
3. Where did Jim write after Mike saved him?
4. What can you learn from this story?
[1]Here is a story. A man sees a butterfly（蝴蝶）. The butterfly tries to get out of its chrysalis（蛹）. Feeling sorry for it, the man decides to help. He cuts the chrysalis and the butterfly comes out easily. Surprising enough, the butterfly is unable to fly.
[2]If the butterfly doesn't struggle（挣扎）_____________the chrysalis, it can't fly! The struggle develops the energy in the butterfly which makes it fly. Similarly, the challenges of life bring out the best in young people and make them fly.
[3]当人们年轻的时候, 遇见并克服挑战将会使他们强大。They can be ready to face life. When we look at successful people, we see that the most successful of them are people who have had to struggle. One famous businessman, who now owns many big supermarkets, used to carry clothes on his back and sell them from door to door when he was young. Another successful man is Dennis. His father died when he was only twenty. His father's death forced him to mature fast. He had to bring up a family of nine people. He took up the challenges and overcame them. Today his brothers and sisters are leading successful lives.
[4]Sometimes challenges do not appear to us because we keep away from them. So some parents and teachers actively encourage young people to face challenges. They might organize some activities for young people which provide them with challenges, like rock-climbing, camping, volunteer work and so on. However, just passing exams will not prepare a person for life. We must meet and overcome challenges. The young people of today will become the leaders of tomorrow. For countries to continue to become successful, it is important that the young people learn to meet challenges and overcome them.
1. Why can’t the butterfly fly? (no more than 10 words)2. Fill in the blank in the second paragraph with proper words (no more than 4 words).
3. Translate the Chinese sentence in the third paragraph into English.
4. Translate the underlined sentences in the fourth paragraph into Chinese.
5. What is the title of the passage?
【推荐3】I saw a lady in the subway station today.
She was fighting with the security guard(安检员), because ① .
“ It’s expensive!” she said angrily, “The machine’s going to make it dirty!”
I noticed the logo on that handbag when I passed by. Yeah, it was of luxury brand(奢侈品牌) and looked quite new. But if you check out the lady’s other items and her behavior, it’s not so difficult to see that ② . So it’s possible that the handbag really cost her too much, maybe the money she saved from every meal. And clearly it was also costing her valuable time and at the same time her good mood.
“Sad.” I thought. My mother once told me, “ Never buy anything if you can’t really afford to use.”
It’s not only about money. It’s about everything that you give up for it.
I’m very happy with my handbag that I bought online. It’s not expensive. It’s not of any luxury brand, but it’s of great quality and designed in just the way I like it. That’s enough.
When you buy things to use, you own the things.
When you buy things to admire, they own you.
1. 从A、B、C中为①②处选出恰当的选项，使文章通顺、连贯、合理。A.she is not rich enough
B.she didn’t want to put her handbag into the security inspector(安检机)
C.she wanted to pass the security check quickly
①
2. What can you infer(推断) from this passage?
| A．The writer’s mother likes everything expensive. |
| B．The writer’s mother hates beautiful handbags. |
| C．The writer’s mother can’t afford any expensive handbags. |
| D．The writer’s mother agrees to buy right things. |
4. Mark T(True) or F(False) according to the passage.
The lady must save money from every meal to buy the handbag of luxury brand.
5. What can we learn from this passage?
A.
B. 
C. 
D. 
| _________ It was a hot summer day. A group of ants were working hard. They were carrying food. Some grasshoppers were playing in the shade of a tree. | _________ Summer was over and winter came. The grasshopper could not find food anywhere. He was both cold and hungry. |
| _________ One of the grasshoppers asked an ant, “Why are you working so hard on such a hot day?” “Because you cannot find food in winter. We are getting food for winter,” answered the ant. “It’s so early to find food for winter. You are a fool to work on such a hot day,” he teased the ant. The ant was very angry and shouted at the grasshopper, “Well, go and play！ You will have a bad time in winter.” | _________ He went to the ant’s home and knocked at the door. “Mr. Ant, I’m very cold and hungry. I’m dying. Please let me have something to eat,” he said. The ant opened the door and said, “Mr. Grasshopper, you played and sang and teased us in the summer. Please go to play and sing now.” The Ant hurried down into his warm nest, knowing that he’d never ever see that Grasshopper again. |
2.
3.
4.
5. What can we learn from the story?
| A．Not everything you see is what it appears to be. |
| B．It is best to prepare for the days of necessity. |
| C．We should be patient and not give up. |
| D．Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties. |
【推荐2】Long ago there was a boy who was hungry for success. For him winning was everything.
One day the boy was to run in a race in his village. A large crowd gathered to watch. Among the crowd was a wise old man.
The race began. The runners were neck and neck, but the boy won at the last minute. The crowd cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man said nothing. The little boy felt proud and important because of the victory.
"Another race another race!" cried the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and introduced the little boy to two new competitors, an old woman and a blind man. "This is no race!" the little boy shouted.
"Race!" ordered the wise man. The boy won. The crowd, however, was silent this time.
"Why don't the people join in my success?" he asked the wise old man.
"Race again!" replied the wise man. "But this time, finish together."
The little boy thought a little, and then took the hands of the blind man and the old woman. The race began and the little boy walked slowly to the finishing line. The crowd cheered. The wise man smiled.
"Who is the crowd cheering for?" asked the little boy.
The wise old man, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders, replied softly (轻声地), "Little boy, in this race the crowd cheered not for any winner, but for your pulling together!"
1. The boy thought2. First, the little boy felt proud and important because he
3. The story took place
4. The race began and the little boy
5. In the last race, the crowd cheered for
【推荐3】One day, a red hen found some wheat seeds (小麦种子) on the ground. She thought to herself, “I will plant these seeds and make bread for my little chickens.”
She asked her neighbors, the cow, the sheep and the horse, if they wanted to help her with the planting. They all said no because they were too busy with their own work.
The red hen didn’t give up. She planted the seeds, watered them every day. Although the little chickens were too young to do hard work, they still didn’t want their mother to be so tired, so they helped the mother hen and took care of the seeds together until they grew into tall wheat plants.
When it was time to harvest (收割) the wheat, she asked her neighbors again if they wanted to help her. But once again, they all refused.
The red hen and her children worked hard and harvested the wheat by themselves. Then they took the wheat to the mill (磨坊) to grind it into flour (面粉).
She asked her neighbors one more time if they wanted to help her bake (烘焙) the bread. But just like before, they were too busy with their own tasks and said no.
The hen’s family baked the bread by themselves, and it turned out delicious. When her little chickens saw the freshly baked bread, they clucked (咯咯叫) with joy.
The hen smiled and said, “Who will eat this bread? I will! With my cute children. Because We did all the work from start to finish.”
And so, they shared the bread and enjoyed a well-deserved meal.
1. The mother hen found some wheat seeds and wanted to make2. The neighbors refused to help the hen because they were busy doing their own
3. The mother hen asked her neighbors for
4. The little chickens felt
5. From the story we know that the mother chicken was
【推荐1】On a normal day, Michael Swaine is a college art teacher in California, US. But on the 15th of each month, Michael wheels his old-fashioned sewing machine(缝纫机) to one of the poorest neighborhoods in San Francisco.
For almost 15 years, Michael has made this trip. But why would he ever do this? His only purpose is to help others in the area, where many people are poor or homeless. He sets up shop on a corner of a street and offers his services as a tailor for free. He is there to sew and mend any clothing people bring him.
He’s made many friends in the area from his kind acts. And his caring spirit has encouraged many people living there.
Michael’s hard work is a great example of doing something positive. This is a living example of a famous saying once said by former US president Theodore Roosevelt(西奥多·罗斯福): “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Also, Michael has worked with an international group called Future Farmers. Since 1998, they have been helping farmers solve food problems.
“My small act is mostly just a gesture,” Michael told USA Today. I think the most important part is my actions have influenced others.
Answer the questions according to the passage.
1. What does Michael do on normal days?
2. Why does Michael take a trip each month?
3. How long has Michael offered his services as a tailor for the poor?
4. Does Michael help farmers solve food problem?
5. What does Michael think is the most important part?
Do you want to feel happy and know how great you are? Here are five ways to make you feel good about yourself.
·Encourage yourself. Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am a special person and there’s no one in the world like me. I can do anything.” It may not sound so good, but it really works!
·Help others. Do something nice for someone who always makes you feel good.
·Smile! Be friendly to people you meet. No one can refuse(拒绝) a big smile. Look for the good things in your friends and family.
· Learn something new! New things may be great challenges(挑战), but when you fall in love with them or get some progress, you’ll be very happy.
·Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your mom and dad or maybe even your cousin. This can make you feel warm and give you confidence to get on well with others.
| Encourage yourself | “I’m |
| Help others | Do something nice for someone who is always |
| Try to be friendly to people when meeting them. | |
| Learn some new | Maybe new things are great challenges. |
| Stay with your family | |
Do you know the boy in the photo? His name is Wang Fa, a Chinese Wa ethnic（佤族）boy. What are those in his bamboo basket（竹筐）? Well, they’re tennis rackets. He can play tennis very well. And he won（赢）a game in Guangzhou. Many people see his photo, and all of them like the happy boy.
Wang is 14 years old and he comes from Yunnan. He learns to play tennis from Zhang Xiaohong. “I like tennis. It makes me happy,” says Wang.
The sports makes Wang confident（自信的）, too. He goes to many cities like Beijing and Chengdu to play tennis. And he likes to make friends with other people. His dream（梦想）is to be a great tennis player and he is working on it. Go fighting, Wang Fa!
1. Who is the boy in the photo?2. What sport can the boy play well?
3. Where is the boy from?
4. Why does the boy like tennis?
5. What does the boy want to be?
