1 . When I was in the fifth grade and Mr. Gardner asked a question, my hand would often shoot up in enthusiasm. After giving me a few opportunities, he would try to give other students a chance. My hand, though, would remain in the air, and after some time, I’d start waving it around. Then, there was the time I entered drumming classes. But all we were allowed to do in the first class was practice one beat over and over again. I never went back.

I would have done terribly in the Stanford Marshmallow (果浆软糖) Experiment. In this classic study, researchers gave children a choice between one marshmallow right away and two later. The results showed that those who could wait 15 minutes ended up scoring 210 points higher on the SAT, an examination that American high school students take before they go to college.

So clearly, delaying(延迟的) gratification or bearing up under pain have their benefits. It needs patience, which keeps us from being stuck to ideas formed previously, and helps us let go of our strong desire for consequences. We come to accept that we don’t always or immediately know what is best, and learn to recognize that our reality is in constant changes. Patience improves our understanding of deeper truths and helps us expand our views.

The journey of patience is rooted in knowing that our present reality will finally give way to changes. But changes won’t always happen when we think they should, and patience with ourselves comes from accepting that there are things we can control and things we can’t. And though we must make great efforts to keep pushing the boundaries of our awareness and to improve our ability to rest in comfort in the present moment, how fast we develop isn’t up to us.

That same fifth grader who couldn’t wait to speak out answers now sees the value of meeting questions with a heart of patience.

1. Why did the author wave his hand around in class?

A．He wanted to entertain himself.

B．He tried to show his impatience.

C．He was making fun of his fellow students.

D．He wanted to give his fellow students a chance.

2. What’s the purpose of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment?

A．To test children’s concentration levels.

B．To test whether children have sweet teeth.

C．To test patience and its potential advantages.

D．To test the bond between patience and desire.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “gratification” in Para. 3?

A．Progress.	B．Patience.
C．Assistance.	D．Satisfaction.

4. What is the main reason for people to have patience according to the text?

A．Constant changes.	B．Present reality.
C．An absence of self-control.	D．A strong desire for consequences.

2 . Strongest Female Literary Characters of All Time

There are some of history’s most inspiring and great females who can be found on the pages of these novels.

Elizabeth Bennet

Called “Lizzie” or “Eliza” by her family and friends, Elizabeth Bennet is the stubborn and clever heroine from the 1813 Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice. She’s the second eldest of five daughters in the Bennet family and, like the rest of her sisters, she is expected to marry for status and money, not for love. To remain true to herself, she would rather remain single, a concept that was unheard at the time.

Nancy Drew

She first appeared in the 1930s but remains one of the most iconic female characters in all of literature. Created by Edward Stratemeyer, Nancy Drew wasn’t simply a pretty girl. Instead, the bold, physically strong, and fiercely intelligent Nancy used her superior intelligence—not her looks—to solve a series of mysteries.

Josephine March

Jo March is the second eldest daughter in the March family and is a central focus in the novel Little Women, published by Louisa May Alcott in 1868. At 15, she is strong-willed, confident, and literary and unlike her sisters, she is outspoken and uninterested in marriage. Jo both struggles with and challenges society’s expectations of how women in the 19th century should carry themselves, making her one of literature’s most daring female characters.

Hester Prynne

Recognized by some critics as one of the most important characters in female literature, Hester Prynne is the leading character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. Married but separated by distance from her husband, Hester has an affair with a minister and becomes pregnant.

1. Why would Elizabeth Bennet rather remain single?

A．She is too stubborn.	B．She doesn’t want to cheat herself.
C．She doesn’t want to marry for love.	D．She was the eldest daughter of the family.

2. What is Nancy Drew like?

A．Kind.

B．Outspoken.

C．Clever.

D．Proud.

3. Who created Josephine March?

A．Jane Austen.	B．Edward Stratemeyer.
C．Louisa May Alcott.	D．Nathaniel Hawthorne.

4. What is the right order of the time these females appeared in novels?
a. Elizabeth Bennet                                                            b. Nancy Drew
c. Josephine March                                                            d. Hester Prynne

A．dcab

B．adbc

C．cdba

D．adcb

3 . 根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有多余选项。

Every day, in hundreds of ordinary situations, actions speak far louder than words. We talk with our mouth, but we communicate with our facial expressions, our tone of voice and our whole body.

    1    When we can read what others are saying unconsciously, we can deal with things — at work and at home before they become problems.

By understanding how to use body language, you can communicate more effectively. Here is how:     2    Throughout the day, notice details about the way you speak, gesture and move. When standing, keep your shoulders straight, your body open and your weight balanced on both feet.

Work on your handshake.    3    The handshake most likely to show confidence is firm and dry, with strong but not too much pressure.

Use eye contact. Eye contact is very important in forming an impression of someone. You should have the ability to keep direct eye contact if you want to be taken seriously. But some people feel uncomfortable when it is too strong.    4    

Be yourself. Nonverbal (非言语的) messages come from deep inside you, from your own sense of self-respect. If you are comfortable with yourself, it shows.    5    They always give others a deep impression.

A．Use hand gestures carefully.

B．Pay attention to your body-talk.

C．A mirror can be useful to examine facial expressions.

D．People who know who they are have a relaxed way of talking and moving.

E．In the business world, the handshake shows important messages about power.

F．Understanding body language is one of the most useful skills you can develop.

G．To avoid this problem, change your focus so that you look at somewhere between the eyes and the chin.