The morning of my daughter’s first school play I had an important business meeting. I went to the play, getting a seat in the front row. I even brought my mum along in case it overran. But, not wanting to be late for my appointment, I moved quietly to the back. My daughter, who was just three at the time, noticed my empty seat and started to cry. Outside the doorway, I heard one mum say loudly and angrily, “She’s gone to work.” I watched as some of the others rolled their eyes. My stomach went cold.
It’s OK for a mum to have a job — as long as it’s part-time, fits around the school run or means she doesn’t have to leave the school play early or fly to the other side of the world now and again to earn a living. During the decade I’ve been a working mum I’ve received numerous critical comments from women about my work choices, but I think running my own business and travelling with my work when I can (while still taking my daughter to school most days and making pretty much every show or event) is setting a good example to my daughter. It shows her that it is possible to succeed at a time when women in many professions find it harder than men to reach the top and get less pay.
But I often feel I’ m in the minority. Do the women who roll their eyes at other women who leave the school play early or show up late to parents’ evening because their meetings overrun really believe females should only be in part-time, flexible work that fits around their children? I think it’s time for women to support each other’s career decisions.
1. What does the text mainly talk about?(no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably mean?(no more than 25 words)
3. What may the author’s daughter learn from her working mother?(no more than 30 words)
4. What kink of job should a mother have according to other mothers who rolled their eyes? (no more than 5 words)
5. Do you agree with the author? Give your reasons.(no more than 25 words)
Robert Armstrong’s favorite food has been his grandma’s cookies ever since he was a child.
Years later and armed with a business degree, Armstrong, 28, is turning his grandma’s cookie recipe into a national brand, G. Mommas Southern Style Cookies, featuring chocolate chip pecan(美洲山核桃) and “buddascotch” oatmeal(燕麦片) flavors.
In February, California-based specialty retailer(零售店), Cost Plus World-Market, with 265 stores in 31 states selling home decor(装饰), food and drink, started selling the cookies. They will also be in 800 Cracker Barrel stores this fall.
After graduating from college in 2008 and unable to find a job, Robert Armstrong asked his grandmother, Anice Morris Armstrong, to teach him how to bake, which he thought would take an afternoon.
“It was harder than college,” he said.
With basic cooking tools and an oven in an abandoned kitchen, he set up his own business, Selma Good, and began producing cookies in an old warehouse. Baking 10 to 12 hours a day, he managed to deliver cookies to 35 stores. His grandmother helped him develop the “buddascotch” recipe before her death, aged 88, last July. “She inspirited me in ways no one else ever could,” said Armstrong.
He reached out via LinkedIn, a website, to a national distributor, who asked for samples. Within a year, he found a commercial bakery in Pennsylvania and a deal to go national with World Market. “Everybody has a grandma recipe, but I was lucky to find people that would take a chance on me,” Armstrong said. “They’re crunchy, but light, like feathers, and taste extremely good,” said Judy McKinny at Mark’s Market, one of Armstrong’s first retail customers in his hometown of Selma, Alabama.
World Market is ordering two cases per store each quarter, a huge leap from the 9,000 bags he made himself per quarter.
His goal is to one day move production back to his native Selma to help its development. Selma has struggled economically since the closure of a candy factory several years ago.
1. What did Robert major in when he was in college? (1 word)2. Why did Robert choose to bake after his graduation? (no more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 6? (1 word)
4. What does Robert owe his success to according to Paragraph 7? (no more than 10 words)
5. What did your grandma teach you? Please explain. (no more than 30 words)
The Yosufs’ house is unlike any other house. In the sitting room, instead of a television, there is a blackboard on the wall. For two hours every day, Mr Yosuf writes complex mathematical problems on the board. His daughter, Zuleika, copies them into an exercise book and solves them.
Zuleika is special. She’s five years old, but instead of watching cartoons or playing computer games, her favourite pastimes are solving equations and reading books. She already spends hours every day in a university library. Next year Zuleika will become Britain’s youngest “A” level student.
Not surprisingly, the Yosufs are a very clever family. Zuleika’s two sisters and a brother, aged 16, 14 and 12 are also good at maths and are already at university. Her father, who specialises in maths research, has taught them all. “Zuleika is very competitive, says her father.” She sees her brother and sisters working every day and she can’t wait to catch up with them. I remember teaching the others maths when they were eight. Zuleika solves the same problems now, although she took up maths much earlier. We could see she was interested in numbers at a much younger age. ”
So what is the secret of their success? When their first child arrived, Mr Yosuf and his wife made up their minds to teach all of their children at home. They say that home tuition combined with love and understanding has helped their children to succeed. “We’ve been patient and supportive, and they take pride in what they do,” says Mr. Yosuf. “Maybe Zuleika has a natural talent for maths, but I believe given the right surroundings, any child could do well. ”
One thing all child prodigies(神童) do have in common is a complete dedication to and love of their subject. They spend many more hours working at it than the average child, and this extra effort is reflected in their achievements. It is not necessary to be extremely talented to be a child prodigy, but you do have to have a lot of motivation.
1. What is the blackboard in the sitting room used for? (no more than 20 words)2. Why is Zuleika special? (no more than 15 Words)
3. What does the underlined word “surroundings” in paragraph 4 probably mean? (1 word)
4. What do all child prodigies have in common according to the text? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you think of studying at home?Give your reasons. (no more than 20 words)
Jean Paul Getty was born in 1892 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He became a millionaire when he was only 24. His father was wealthy, but he did not help his son. Getty made his millions alone. He made his money from oil. He owned Getty Oil and over 100 other companies. The Fortune magazine once called Getty “the richest man in the world.”
But money did not buy happiness for Getty. He married five times and divorced five times. He had five children but spent little time with them. None of Getty’s children had very happy lives.
Getty loved to make money and loved to save it. In spite of his great wealth, Getty was miser. Every evening, he wrote down every cent he spent that day. He even put pay telephone in the guest’s bedrooms in his house so he could save money on phone bills.
In 1973, kidnappers took his 16-year-old grandson, and demanded a large amount of money for his safe return. Getty’s son asked his father for money to save his child. But Getty refused. The kidnappers were merciless and Getty’s son made repeated requests for help from his father. Finally, Getty agreed to lend the money, but at 4 percent interest.
Getty started a museum at his home Malibu, California. He bought many important and beautiful pieces of art for the museum. When Getty died in 1976, the value of the collection in the museum was $1 billion. He left all his money to the museum. After his death, the museum grew in size. Today it is one of the most important museums in the United States. Getty made a large fortune in his life, but he gave his money to the art world because he wanted people to learn about and love art.
1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 1? (Within 8 words.)2. Please explain the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 in English. (Within 15 words.)
3. What did the kidnappers do to Getty’s family? (Within 10 words.)
4. What does the author want to tell us about Getty in the last paragraph? (Within 10 words.)
5. Do you think Getty is a generous millionaire? Why or why not? (Within 20 words)
5 . Recently, my husband and three kids were playing in the Mediterranean, swimming and floating in the picture-perfect sea. It was very beautiful in Majorca, Spain. The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with sailboats were such beautiful scenes. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day”. It was one of the things we talked about when we imagined our life with the children.
Fourteen years later, we had three boys who were growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on those plans. We spent dozens of hours discussing, researching and planning.
We had to learn how to “road school” our kids and arrange time off from work. We renewed our passports, and then packed our bags. We showed our kids the world. It was about experiencing the dozens of flights and trains and taxis together. We wanted them to learn all that we had learned ourselves, through our own travels as young adults.
But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time. We wanted the days to last a bit longer, and the weeks to take their time. The years with our children are going too fast. We wanted to control our busy lives, and just be with our kids. We wanted a break from the daily morning timetable of making lunches, eating breakfast rushing out the door in time for school. We need a family time-out.
It was a wonderful two-month trip in Europe, full of wonderful moments. And when we looked back at our lives, I know we’ll be glad we did it. I know we’ll be happy that this is a part of the story of our family.
1. How do you understand “one day” in the 2nd paragraph? (no more than 10 words)2. How long was their trip in Europe? (no more than 5 words)
3. What does the underlined word “that” refer to? (no more than 10 words)
4. What’s the main idea of the 5th paragraph? (no more than 10 words)
5. Think about the trips you’ve taken with your parents. Do you have the similar feelings to the author? What did you learn from those trips? (no more than 25 words)
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register (收款台), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend’s. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holiday meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In later afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery (电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership – a shop selling cars – was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?” I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
“Thank you” – two powerful words. They’re easy to say and mean so much.
1. Why did the author stop at Oklahoma City? (No more than 10 words)2. The underlined words “took off” in Paragraph 2 mean _____. (No more than 5 words)
3. What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?(No more than 15 words)
4. Why was the battery of the author’s car dead? (No more than 10 words)
5. What is the author’s purpose in writing his own experiences? (No more than 15 words)
Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration for millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. And now her story has become a major movie which is entitled Soul Surfer.
Born into a family of surfers on February 8, 1990, on the island of Kauai Hawaii, Bethany began surfing at a young age. At the age of eight, Bethany entered her first surf competition---- winning both the short and long board divisions and sparking a love for surf competition within her spirit.
On October 31, 2003, at the age of 13. Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing just off the shore of Hawaii. Bethany said, “It came out of the blue. I had no warning at all; not even the slightest sign of danger on the horizon. The waves were small and inconsistent, and I was just kind of rolling along with them, relaxing on my board with my left arm dangling (悬摆) in the cool water. I remember thinking, ‘I hope the surf picks up soon...’”
“That's all it took: a split second. I felt a lot of pressure and a couple of lightning fast tugs(猛拽) .Then I watched in shock as the water around me turned bright red. Somehow, I stayed calm. My left arm was gone along with a huge piece of my surfboard...”
Her friends had to get her to the beach which took 20 minutes of paddling. After losing more than 40 percent of her blood and making it through several surgeries, Bethany was well on her way to recovery due to an unbelievably positive attitude.
In January 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition and with no intention of stopping, Bethany continued to enter and shine in competitions. Initially, she adopted a custom-made board that was longer and slightly thicker than standard and had a handle for her right arm, making it easier to paddle, and she learned to kick more to make up for the loss of her left arm.
Just over a year after the attack, she took first place---- winning her first National Title. Now she competes with the world's best and travels the globe.
1. What was Bethany Hamilton's dream when she was young? (No more than 10 words)2. What is the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 3? (No more than 5 words)
3. According to the passage, how did Bethany make a recovery? (No more than 10 words)
4. How did Bethany surf when she started surfing again? (No more than 15 words)
5. Please explain how you are inspired by Bethany Hamilton. (No more than 20 words)
A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather explained his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” Then the following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumblebee(大黄蜂) on the skylight(天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.
It is not only time that we tend to underestimate — we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged — even at a task you thought was simple — because that is part of life.
If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then life might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.
Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up(过分自责) when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.
1. What was out of the author’s expectation when he removed the bumblebee on the skylight?(no more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined phrase “account for” in Paragraph 2 mean? (no more than 3 words)
3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us? (no more than 15 words)
4. According to the passage, how will you deal with what stands on your path? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you understand the sentence—“Nothing is ever easy.”? (no more than 25 words)
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic(冠状病毒流行病),everyday heroes are appearing all over the world.
Raina owns and operates a Bakery in San Juan del Monte, Philippines. Though her business has slowed greatly with more people staying home, one pizza delivery driver came by her shop every day to buy at least 300 pieces of bread.
Curious, Raina finally asked why the driver was buying so much bread. She was shocked by his response. It turns out that the driver whose name is Raymond was using his own tip money to buy the bread to distribute it to homeless people in Quezon City.
Raina was so impressed by Raymond’s kindness that she shared the story on Facebook. Raymond explained that he’s gone hungry as a child himself, so seeing people in need as he made his deliveries urged（敦促） him into action.
He said, “when I give them food, they end up crying. They even tell me that their last meal was the night before I spoke to them. I know what I am giving is not enough but at least they could sustain for a few hours.”
Things are not easy for Raymond right now, either. He’s got three kids at home and his wife is out of work and pregnant(怀孕的).Still, he’s setting aside his tips and a bit of his won salary to feed others.
Once Raina’s Facebook post went popular, more people began sending Raymond donations for his cause. When his boss found out what he was up to, he sent him a check for 10,000 Philippine pesos. (菲律宾比索---货币单位)
Raymond says that he’ll continue to do his part to make sure his neighbors are okay! This is just another example of how some people are stepping up when the rest of the world is forced to step back.
1. What has made Raina’s business a lot worse than before? (No more than 5 words)2. Why did Raymond give the homeless food? (No more than10 words)
3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 5 probably mean? (1 word)
4. What happened after Raymond’s story got around? (No more than 10 word)
5. How does Raymond’s story inspire you? (No more than 20 words)
It was my first day back home since starting college. A lot had changed in the last year. Not with my hometown but with me. I had left as a 17-year-old boy and had now returned as an 18-year-old man. In the city, I was living on my own, had a part-time job and was studying. Even the government recognized I was an adult I had a driver's license. So here I was, on my summer vacation, walking down the main street with my father, desperate for him to acknowledge how mature I was. When his recognition failed to appear, I took matters into my own hands. "Dad," I said casually, "I'm thirsty. Let's go for a beer." It was the first time I'd ever mentioned beer in front of my father, let alone ask him to drink one with me.
He turned to me with a curious expression on his face. "A beer? Well I guess you're old enough now. Let's go to Sailors' Bar, It's where my cousin Tom, your uncle, used to drink. You remember him, right?"
I had only some vague recollection of my uncle. He was the black sheep of the family. We didn't talk about him much. "What ever happened to Uncle Tom, Dad? I haven't seen him in years," I said as we continued towards the bar.
"Neither have I, unfortunately. He was a good kid once. But things changed," my father said mournfully. As a boy, he explained, there had been no better-behaved boy than Tom. But after leaving school, he moved to the city and fell in with bad company. He started going out every night, drinking in nightclubs and playing cards, Soon he lost everything and had to beg his mum to pay his debts. She agreed on the condition he returned home.
My dad took a deep breath and continued his tale. "Things settled down for a while. He married a lovely woman, gave up his bad habits. But it didn't last, He was soon back to his old ways. He couldn't resist. He was at Sailors' Bar almost every night. His poor mother died of grief and shame. His wife followed her soon after.
"What ruined him was alcohol. He told me once, when a man begins drinking, he never knows where it'll end. So, Tom warned me, "be aware of your first drink!"
"He went from bad to worse. Last year Tom sent me a letter saying he had been found guilty of stealing and sent to prison for ten years."
Dad finished talking just as we reached the front of Sailors' Bar. "Anyway, here we are. Let's go in," he said. But I understood. I put my arm around my father and said, "I'm not thirsty anymore, Dad, Let's go home."
1. Why did the young man invite his father to drink a beer?(no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 mean? (no more than 10 words)
3. What was the main source of Uncle Tom's problems? (1 word)
4. What was the father's purpose when he told his son about Uncle Tom's story? (no more than 15 words)
5. What is your attitude to adults' alcohol drinking? And why? (no more than 25 words)
