1 . “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt once said. If we want to accomplish anything in life, let us remember that we should never give up.
Viennese-born composer Frederick Loewe, whom we remember from his musical scores that include My Fair Lady, Gigi and Camelot, was not always famous. He learned to play the piano with the great masters of Europe and achieved huge success as a musician and composer in his early years.
But when he immigrated to the United States, he failed as a pianist. For a while he tried other types of work. But he never gave up his dream and continued to play the piano and write music. During those years, he could not always afford to make ends meet by playing the piano.
One day, bent over the keyboard, he heard nothing but the music that he played with inspiration. When he finished and looked up, he was surprised to find that he had an audience—three men who were seated on the floor. They said nothing and made no movement toward the piano. Instead they dug into their pockets, took out all the money they had, placed it on the piano and walked out, empty-handed. Deeply touched by the beauty of his music, these men recognized excellence and responded to it.
Whatever you do, try your best. If what you do is worth doing and if you believe that who you are is of value, then you cannot afford to be content with mediocrity (平庸). When you choose the path of excellence through this life, you will bring out the best in yourself and receive the best it can offer in return.
1. What can we learn from Roosevelt’s words?| A．It is difficult to do our best. |
| B．It is important to be successful in life. |
| C．We should be strict with ourselves. |
| D．We should face the future with the most dreams. |
| A．He lost his hearing. | B．He led a hard life for a while. |
| C．He enjoyed great success. | D．He became a famous pianist. |
| A．They were supposed to do that. | B．They wanted to show their sympathy. |
| C．They were moved by his performance. | D．They wanted to make friends with him. |
| A．Practice makes perfect | B．Never give up your dream |
| C．It’s never too old to learn | D．Rome was not built in a day |
