1 . I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and it was a shock to my parents that I arrived without arms or legs. My parents did their very best to keep me in the mainstream school system and give me every opportunity to live to the fullest.
We later moved to Brisbane, Australia. At age eight, I could not see a bright future ahead and I became depressed. When I was ten years old, I decided to end my life by drowning myself in a bathtub. After a couple of attempts, I realized that I did not want to leave my loved ones with the burden and guilt (愧疚) that would result from my suicide. I could not do that to them.
I wasn’t depressed my entire childhood, but I did have ups and downs. At age thirteen I hurt my foot, which I use for many things like typing, writing and swimming. That injury made me realize that I need to be more thankful for my abilities and less focused on my disabilities.
A cleaner at my high school inspired me to start speaking about my faith and overcoming adversity when I was seventeen. Then, I found myself in front of three hundred sophomore (grade 10) students and I was very nervous. My knees were shaking. Within the first three minutes of my talk, half the girls were crying, and most of the boys were struggling to hold their emotions together. One girl in particular was sobbing very hard. We all looked at her and she put her hand up. She said, “I am so sorry to interrupt, but can I come up and hug you?”
She came and hugged me in front of everyone, and whispered in my ear, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. No one has ever told me that they loved me and that I am beautiful the way I am.” Her gratitude inspired me to go across 44 countries and speak 2,000 times. I realized that we all need love and hope.
I spoke on motivational topics after creating the company ‘Attitude is Altitude’ to spread my messages of faith and hope around the world.
Dream big, my friend and never give up. We all make mistakes, but none of us are mistakes. Take one day at a time. Embrace (拥抱) the positive attitudes, perspectives (思考方法), principles (原则) and truths I share, and you too will overcome.
1. Nick first became depressed when ____________.A.he was ten years old | B.he decided to end his life |
C.he thought his future wouldn’t be bright | D.he realized he had no arms and legs |
A.his faith in God | B.an injury to his foot |
C.the advice of his parents | D.a talk with his teacher |
A.his parents | B.a girl | C.a cleaner | D.a boy |
A.she felt sorry about Nick’s disability | B.she realized her mistakes after hearing Nick |
C.she was sad that Nick could never pull through | D.Nick moved her with some encouraging words |
A.With a positive attitude, any dream can be achieved. |
B.Those who are disabled live happier lives than normal people. |
C.By focusing on our disabilities, we can overcome them. |
D.We should focus on what we can do, not what we can’t. |
2 . Time magazine named its choice of the 100 “Most Influential (有影响力的) People in the World” on Wednesday. On the
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks starting point guard, is a person that many
“Jeremy Lin’s story is a great lesson for kids everywhere. In life, there are many prejudices (偏见) that
“It’s great to see good values and the right attitude
We spoke to Lin’s
A.road | B.way | C.world | D.list |
A.children | B.stars | C.athletes | D.players |
A.criticised | B.praised | C.attacked | D.disliked |
A.influential | B.skilful | C.talented | D.selfless |
A.lesson | B.skill | C.move | D.knowledge |
A.graduate | B.professor | C.student | D.coach |
A.fortunately | B.surprisingly | C.amazingly | D.unfairly |
A.common | B.untrue | C.necessary | D.useful |
A.coach | B.work | C.succeed | D.fail |
A.useful | B.possible | C.easy | D.difficult |
A.poor | B.lazy | C.excellent | D.normal |
A.rewarded | B.forgotten | C.replaced | D.covered |
A.country | B.fame | C.money | D.team |
A.family | B.teammates | C.friends | D.parents |
A.modest | B.optimistic | C.excited | D.happy |
3 . Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices and schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.
One advantage of living outside London is that the houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.
Then, in the country, one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time on trains or buses, one can sleep better at night. Besides, during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering, and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?A.Some people who work in the country prefer to live in the city |
B.Some people who work in the city prefer to live in the country |
C.Those who live in London wake up early and get home late |
D.Those who live in London must travel by train, car or bus every day |
A.a small house with a garden in London |
B.a large house with a garden in the country |
C.a small flat with a garden in the country |
D.a small house with a garden in the country |
A.one can’t sleep so well as in the city | B.one has to spend more time on transport |
C.one has to spend a long time in the garden | D.one is likely to be poorer |
A.spend all of their time in the town | B.feel their life is not worth living |
C.enjoy cinemas, shops and crowds | D.share the secret of Nature |
A.the rest of their time | B.the rest of the people |
C.the rest of the country | D.the rest of the parks and sea |
4 . The clock rules our lives. The more we try to save time, the less time we seem to have. In every area of our lives we are doing things faster. And many of us live in towns and cities which are getting noisier and more stressful as each day passes. But now a worldwide movement, whose aim is to slow life down, has started. Its supporters are people who believe that a happier and healthier way of life is possible.
The Slow Food movement was founded the day that an Italian journalist, Carlo Petrini, saw that McDonald’s had opened a restaurant in a beautiful square in Rome. He thought it was sad that many people today live too quickly to sit down for a proper meal and only eat much fast food. He decided that he had to try to do something about it and so he started the Slow Food movement. Slow Food has become a global organization ever since and now has more than 80,000 members in 100 countries.
Slow Food also encourages people to eat local and regional food, to use local shops and markets, to eat out in small family restaurants, and to cook with traditional recipes.
The idea of Slow Cities was inspired by the Slow Food movement. The aim of Slow Cities is to improve people’s quality of life. Towns which want to become a Slow City have to reduce traffic and noise, increase the number of green areas, plant trees, build pedestrian zones, and promote local businesses and traditions. Now it has spread to other countries all over the world, from the UK to Japan and Australia. There are now 135 Slow Cities in 24 countries across the world that have been named since founding of the organization in 1999. Gao Chun County, in east China’s Jiangsu Province, is expected to be named the first “Slow City” in China next year.
“Slow Cities are about having a community life in the town,” said a local resident. “It is not ‘slow’ as in ‘stupid’. It is ‘slow’ as in the opposite of ‘worried’ and ‘stressful’.”
But not everybody is happy. For teenagers, who have to go 25km to Norwich, the nearest city, to buy CDs, living in a Slow City is not very attractive. “It’s all right here for adults,” says Lewis Cook, 16. “But if you want excitement, you have to go to Norwich. We need more things here for young people.”
1. What’s the aim of the Slow Food movement?A.To call on people to eat out. | B.To make people enjoy cooking. |
C.To drive McDonald’s out of Rome | D.To encourage people to slow down. |
A.reducing traffic and noise | B.increasing the number of green areas |
C.building more department stores | D.promoting local businesses and traditions |
A.Slow Food was founded in 1999 | B.there is no Slow City in China now |
C.Slow Cities are mainly in the UK | D.there are about 24 Slow Cities in the world |
A.Satisfied. | B.Excited. | C.Happy. | D.Dissatisfied. |
A.Slow down and you’ll move fast. | B.Time flies never to be recalled. |
C.Eat slowly and you’ll be healthy. | D.Pay attention to the quality of life. |
5 . There is a man who I’d like to tell you about. His name is Sandy Greenberg. Sandy was a very good student, but he came from a poor family. And so he went to Columbia University, but while there, he became blind.
But something else happened to Sandy that may surprise you. Sandy said that when he lost his sight, his roommate would read his textbooks to him, every night. As a result, Sandy went on to graduate. He got a scholarship, and he went off to study at Oxford.
One day, Sandy got a call at Oxford, and his former roommate said, “Sandy, I’m really unhappy. I really don’t like being in graduate school, and I don’t want to do this.”
So Sandy asked, “Well, what do you want to do?”
And his roommate told him, “Sandy, I really love to sing. I have a high school friend who plays the guitar. And we would really like to try the music business. But we need to make a record, and in order to do that I need $500.”
So Sandy Greenberg told me he took all his life savings and sent it to his roommate. He told me, “You know, what else could I do? He made my life; I needed to help make his life.”
I almost forgot. You probably are wanting to know who Sandy’s roommate was. I think you’ve heard of him. Sandy’s roommate was a fellow by the name of Art Garfunkel, and he teamed up with another musician by the name of Paul Simon. That $500 helped them make a record that eventually became “The Sound of Silence.”
I hope you’ll remember the power of doing well by doing good. Each of you, in your own lives, will be faced with challenges and problems that you didn’t expect. How you are able to deal with adversity will be influenced by how you deal with others along the way. What you get will depend a lot on what you give. And that’s the end of the story of doing well, by doing good.
More importantly, when you get to be my age, you will find yourself beginning to ask, did my life make a difference? I think the only way to face this question is to consider, every day of your life: How can I do something for somebody else? How can I give back to others? It may be teaching, it may be becoming a doctor, you may be successful in business — no matter what your career path, there will always be the opportunity to give back. The chance will present itself to give your time, give your money, but mostly, to give your own heart and soul.
1. When Sandy Greenberg lost his sight, ____________.A.he had thoughts of quitting college | B.he overcame the difficulties on his own |
C.he borrowed a friend’s notes | D.a friend helped him with his study |
A.Sandy had a difficult time at Oxford |
B.Sandy and his roommate both went on studying after their graduation |
C.singing was one of Sandy’s hobbies |
D.Sandy’s roommate was a great success at graduate school |
A.to encourage us to face difficulties bravely |
B.to tell us to change our path in life if we want to |
C.to show that disabled people can succeed with help |
D.to tell us that by helping others, we can also help ourselves |
A.difficulty | B.generosity | C.kindness | D.friendship |
A.helping others to make sure that we are successful |
B.using our life to make a difference to others |
C.being a teacher so that we can give back to others |
D.starting to be generous when we become older |
6 . Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience: the iPad.
Instead of looking at nature, I
So this year I made up my mind to try something
With determination and the strong support of my wife, I succeeded in my vacation struggle against the Internet. I finally
I knew I had
A.received | B.selected | C.checked | D.removed |
A.online | B.informal | C.local | D.traditional |
A.opinion | B.mind | C.identity | D.curiosity |
A.attractive | B.logical | C.magical | D.different |
A.as | B.unless | C.though | D.so |
A.generous | B.capable | C.eager | D.determined |
A.battery | B.button | C.signal | D.function |
A.grateful | B.tough | C.stuck | D.puzzled |
A.rely on | B.go through | C.connect to | D.adapt to |
A.method | B.goal | C.trick | D.choice |
A.expected | B.realised | C.permitted | D.suggested |
A.approach | B.sign | C.evidence | D.problem |
A.won | B.forgotten | C.suffered | D.recovered |
A.Somehow | B.Anyway | C.However | D.Therefore |
A.take apart | B.give up | C.turn up | D.go off |
7 . Jim Thorpe is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He had amazing athletic abilities and was well-known during his lifetime, yet that did not make Thorpe a stranger to adversity.
Thorpe was an American Indian from Oklahoma who developed his extraordinary athletic skills in his youth through hard labor. It was also in his youth that he learned to endure hardship brought upon by racial prejudice. Many would say his childhood was not easy. He grew up poor and at age 9 his twin brother passed away and a few years later he lost both of his parents.
But that did not stop him from doing what he loved and pursuing his dreams. Nothing seemed to stop him, not even stolen shoes. Just hours before Thorpe was going to compete in the 1912 Olympics, somebody stole his shoes. Thorpe improvised (临时拼凑) by getting shoes out of the garbage. The shoes were two different sizes. He wore an extra pair of socks on one foot to even them out.
He still went on to win two gold medals—winning each event he competed in except for one, the javelin (标枪). The javelin was the only event he didn’t win, probably because he had never competed in that event before. It is interesting to note that Thorpe had tried to throw the javelin once before in the Olympic trials. At the time, he didn’t know that he could throw it with a running start. He threw it standing still and was placed second.
At the Olympics,he also took part in the decathlon (十项全能运动). He finished first in two events, third in four events, and fourth in two more. Thorpe ended up finishing third in the world. He was undoubtedly a dominating force that couldn’t be stopped and just kept on going.
I think Paul Dughi said it best, “It’s hard to imagine now that pro athletes get paid millions of dollars just to wear a particular brand of shoes. For Jim Thorpe, it didn’t matter what kind he wore.”
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?A.The adversity Thorpe met with led to his success. |
B.Thorpe’s success was no guarantee of a better life. |
C.Thorpe’s career brought him both gains and losses. |
D.Thorpe suffered many hardships despite his success. |
A.To prevent the foot from injury. | B.To make the shoe fit the foot. |
C.To stop the shoe from being stolen. | D.To show his problem-solving skills. |
A.Loss of his own sports shoes. | B.A casual attitude towards the event. |
C.Lack of experience in the event. | D.A shortage of talent for the event. |
A.Loyal and enthusiastic. | B.Genuine and creative. |
C.Tough and strong-minded. | D.Selfless and good-tempered. |
8 . Robert and Peter study in the same university. They do everything together and help each other. But they often play jokes on each other. The school year was over last month and they decided to travel through the country in America. They drove a car and could stop wherever they were interested in and started whenever they wanted. Of course they enjoyed themselves. It was very hot one day and they were both hungry and thirsty. They stopped in front of a restaurant by the road. They came in, sat down at a table and ordered some dishes. Robert looked around and found there was a small bowl on the table. He thought there was some ice cream in it and took a spoonful of it and put it into his mouth. Immediately he knew it was mustard (芥末), but it was too late. Tears ran down his face, but he pretended nothing had happened. The other young man, seeing his friend crying, asked, “What are you crying about, Robert?”
“I’m thinking of my father who was hanged twenty years ago,” was a reply.
After a while Peter made the same mistake. Tears ran down his cheeks ,too. And his friend asked him why.
“I wonder why your father hadn’t been hanged before he got married!”
1. Robert didn’t tell Peter it was some mustard in the bowl because________.A.he didn’t know his friend hated it. | B.he wanted his friend to repeat the mistake. |
C.he thought his friend knew what it was. | D.he thought his friend was interested in it. |
A.he was too hungry to wait for their dishes. | B.he often took some mustard. |
C.he was much braver than his friend. | D.he wasn’t afraid to be played a joke on. |
A.not to trust your friend | B.not to mistake mustard for Ice cream |
C.it’s wrong to lie to friends | D.a joke |
9 . Do you want a job in the holidays? Just go for it. First, you need to know what kind of job is suitable (合适的) for your age and interests.
If you’re 13-15
It seems that you can work almost anywhere, but you’re probably not allowed to clean neighbours’ cars or walk dogs.
There is no lowest wage (工资) for children under 16.
By law, you can’t work more than 35 hours each week in the school holidays.
And you can’t work before 7 am or after 7 pm
If you are 16-17
The lowest wage for 16-17 year old children should not be less than three dollars each hour.
You can’t work in a pub or bar, but you can work anywhere else.
By law, you can’t work more than 40 hours each week.
What jobs are out there?
Obviously, your choices are limited by the fact that you can only work in the school days, but the following situations are fine.
At Christmas most shops are short of hands, so you may find something to do there.
In summer there’s always fruit picking. It can be very hand work, but it pays really well.
If you’re mad about football, you could work in a sports shop or help out at a local football club. No matter how much you are paid, you are doing what you like.
1. In the school holidays, 14-year-old kids _________A.cannot go to work at night |
B.can work anywhere they want |
C.are not allowed to work alone |
D.can work as long as 14 hours a day |
A.a pub | B.a supermarket | C.a farm | D.a store |
A.is better than other jobs |
B.is more attractive to girls |
C.is not right for children |
D.is tiring but pays well |
A.a news report | B.a travel diary |
C.a job guide | D.a storybook |
10 . When our first son Brendan was born in Sydney in 1966, we planted a golden elm tree in our front yard.It and Brendan
A young couple bought our home and were
Recently on the way to Sydney, my husband
When I heard about her
What a pleasure it was to
A.watched | B.grew | C.played | D.worked |
A.built | B.sold | C.found | D.entered |
A.sorry | B.afraid | C.angry | D.nervous |
A.proud of | B.polite to | C.worried to | D.delighted with |
A.never | B.seldom | C.always | D.still |
A.forget | B.believe | C.mind | D.remember |
A.feared | B.decided | C.agreed | D.refused |
A.failed | B.finished | C.lost | D.stopped |
A.Instead | B.Besides | C.However | D.Therefore |
A.tree | B.address | C.key | D.message |
A.encouraging | B.personal | C.important | D.secret |
A.son | B.friend | C.parent | D.neighbour |
A.ordered | B.bought | C.made | D.sent |
A.strange | B.funny | C.exciting | D.heartbreaking |
A.phone | B.. bowls | C.branches | D.package |
A.picked | B.planted | C.stored | D.covered |
A.dream | B.mistake | C.visit | D.suggestion |
A.post | B.receive | C.offer | D.use |
A.shocked | B.confused | C.amused | D.touched |
A.end | B.fall through | C.form | D.come true |