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)
2 . I was ready for bed when the phone rang. “This cannot be good,” I thought as I hurried to see why I was called so late at night. My mind quickly ran through the list of family members that might need my help.
“Lindy, this is Leslie,” she said. “I hope I didn’t disturb your sleeping.” I was confused that she should call me at 11 pm. We occasionally spoke with each other at some community events, but to say we were friends was a stretch.
I asked what she needed. She replied, “Do you have room for turkeys in your freezer?” We had lots of room in our freezer. My husband’s business had taken a downturn and we were pretty much at the bottom of our food supply. “Sure,” I responded. “Did your freezer break down?” “Not exactly,” Leslie replied. “But if you give me directions to your house, I will explain when I get there.”
Later a huge freezer truck pulled into the driveway. Leslie and her husband got off the truck. Leslie explained her husband owned a small grocery store that had just lost its lease(租约). They had to empty all the freezers before midnight that night. They thought it was a shame to just cast all this good food into garbage cans. So she began to go through her list of contacts, dropping off food to those who might be willing to take it. When Leslie put turkeys in our freezer, she asked, “Is it OK if we just fill this up?” She told me that ours was the last place they planned to stop at and anything left would have to be discarded.
At last, I asked her, “When will you come back for all this?” Leslie just laughed and replied, “We don’t want it back. It is yours. We have been delivering food since 5 pm and have exhausted our list of contacts. That’s the end of it. Thanks for helping out.”
Over the next several months we ate well and shared turkeys with friends, family and neighbors. When the food in our freezer finally ran out in May, we were back on our feet. Our income increased and buying groceries was no longer a problem.
1. How did the author respond to the call from Leslie according to Paragraph2?| A．She felt excited about it. | B．She felt anxious about it. |
| C．She felt indifferent to it. | D．She felt unexpected about it. |
| A．Because they disliked storing much food. |
| B．Because their freezer was out of order. |
| C．Because they lacked money for groceries. |
| D．Because they wanted Leslie to use it. |
| A．Sorted out. | B．Handed out. |
| C．Taken away. | D．Thrown away. |
| A．Patient and cautious. | B．Thoughtful and selfless. |
| C．Honest and humorous. | D．Optimistic and ambitious. |
| A．The author’s family’s finance improved quite a lot. |
| B．The author’s relationship with her husband was better. |
| C．The author’s many friends came to her family’s help. |
| D．The author’s generosity was recognized by Leslie and others. |
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)
4 . Joshua williams was five years old when something came into his heart that would change his life and the lives of thousands of others. His journey began with a $20 birthday gift from his grandmother. She said he could use it any way he wanted.
On his way to the mall that morning, the five-year-old began thinking about all the things he could buy with the money. Then, looking out of the car window, Joshua noticed a homeless man standing on the street corner. That moment changed his life forever. Joshua instantly gave the man his $20 bill in the hope that it would make a small difference.
With this gesture, Joshua discovered his life’s calling to help the needy. At just five years old, Joshua knew he would need help in order to make his dream — to wipe out hunger — a reality. He enlisted his family, and soon they were delivering meals to the homeless every Saturday. Joshua began to realize, however, that he needed a “bigger, better and easier way to distribute food.” He and his family came up with the idea to have the homeless community come to a centralized distribution point. On their first distribution day, Joshua and his team of helpers provided more than 300 families with food. They continued distributing groceries this way every month for two years.
With the success of his work, Joshua eventually created the Joshua’s Heart Foundation to continue his mission of feeding the homeless. Now, several years later, his foundation continues to provide food and cooking classes for needy families.
Joshua and his team have helped feed over 20,000 people over the past eight years and they’re still working to increase that number. Each bag of groceries represents a brighter day in the lives of these individuals and families, and it all began with one young person who saw a need and decided to make a difference.
1. Joshua’s grandma gave him a $20 bill to let him ______.| A．buy food for the homeless | B．help some people in need |
| C．celebrate his fifth birthday | D．buy a birthday cake for her |
| A．used to help others | B．was sympathetic |
| C．had little pocket money | D．was indifferent |
| A．He persuaded his family to help him. |
| B．He asked his family for advice. |
| C．He was encouraged by his family. |
| D．He disagreed with his family. |
| A．was created by Joshua and his teacher |
| B．organizes the homeless community |
| C．mainly offers education to the homeless |
| D．mainly offers food to needy people |
| A．Joshua grew up in a rich family |
| B．Joshua started the foundation at the age of five |
| C．Joshua would help more people in the future |
| D．more than 20,000 homeless people have taken cooking classes |
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)
6 . A little boy went to a telephone booth (电话亭) at the cash counter of a store and made a phone call. The store owner looked at him and listened to the conversation.
Boy: “Lady, can you give me the job of cutting your lawn (草坪)?”
Woman (at the other end of the phone line): “No, thank you. I already have someone to cut my lawn.”
Boy: “Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price the person who cuts your lawn now.”
Woman: “I’m very satisfied with the person who cuts my lawn.”
Boy (with more perseverance 执着) : “Lady, I’ll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.”
Woman: “No, thank you.”
With a smile on his face, the little boy hung up the phone. The store owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store owner: “Son... I like your attitude (态度). I like that positive (积极的) spirit and would like to offer you a job.”
Boy: “No, thanks.”
Store owner: “But you were really asking for one.”
Boy: “No, Sir. I was just checking my performance (表现) at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to.”
1. In fact, how many people are mentioned (提及) in the story?| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
| A．he wanted her to let him continue his job |
| B．he thought that the lady was too poor |
| C．the lady thought the money she paid the boy was too much |
| D．he wanted to know if he did his job well enough and couldn’t be replaced (取代) by others. |
| A．The boy was angry with the lady. |
| B．The store owner wasn’t kind-hearted. |
| C．The lady wanted to find another person to do the boy’s job. |
| D．The boy was happy to know that the lady was satisfied with his performance. |
| A．Asking for a job | B．Self-appraisal (自我测评) |
| C．The lady and the boy | D．The boy and the store owner |
7 . Todd Steinkamp left his hotel around 5:30 a. m. for a funeral in Green Bay. Wisconsin. About half an hour into his journey on the road, he noticed a strange sound coming from the front tire (轮胎). By 7 a. m, he still had 70 miles ahead of him, but the noise was so loud that he knew he had no choice but to stop.
Steinkamp thought there was little chance anyone in the little town could help him so early in the morning. Still, he took his chance at a repair shop and asked for help. The worker Geib checked out the car. Geib told Steinkamp the wheel bearing (轴承) was failing. Fixing it would take a few hours. And without being repaired, the car couldn't go further.
Steinkamp started working out another plan. Could he rent a car somewhere? Geib went to the store across the street, but its only rental car wasn't available. Finding another place to rent would need a 40-mile drive. Steinkamp was unhappy and worried at that time. “However, Geib reached into his pocket, pulled out the key to his own truck and gave me,” Steinkamp said. With a smile, Geib said the truck could go 120 miles per hour if needed.
The men had met just 10 minutes before. They didn't know each other's names, but Geib did that. Steinkamp jumped in the truck and drove it to the funeral. When he came back to the shop seven hours later, he chatted with Geib. He thanked the 74-year-old worker, who turned a terrible day into a good one with a great lesson. Just be kind and help if you can.
1. Why did Todd Steinkamp want to go to Green Bay?| A．To pay a visit to his friends. | B．To rent a car for his travel. |
| C．To attend a funeral. | D．To repair his own truck. |
| A．There was something wrong with his car. |
| B．He was too tired to go on with his trip. |
| C．There was something wrong with his friend. |
| D．He lost his way during the trip. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Impatient. |
| C．Sorry. | D．Upset. |
| A．Steinkamp was 74 years old |
| B．Steinkamp ran away with the borrowed car |
| C．Geib lent Steinkamp a truck |
| D．Geib worked for the author for free |
| A．Make enough preparations ahead. | B．Help others if you can. |
| C．Treat others with respect. | D．Learn from each other. |
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)
The old man walked slowly into the restaurant. His poor jacket, patched (打补丁) trousers, and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled (闪耀) like diamonds，large rosy cheeks，and thin lips that held a steady smile．
With the help of his trusty cane (拐杖), he walked toward a table by the window．A young waitress watched him and ran over to him，saying，"Here，Sir．Let me give you a hand with that chair．"
Without a word，he smiled and nodded a thank you．She pulled the chair away from the table．Supporting him with one arm，she helped him move in front of the chair，and get comfortably seated．Then she pushed the table up close to him，and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it．
In a soft，clear voice he said，"Thank you，Miss．"
"You're welcome，Sir．"She replied．"My name is Mary．I'll be back in a moment．If you need anything，just wave at me．"
After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes，bacon，and hot lemon tea，Mary brought him the change，helping him up from his chair and out from behind the table．She handed him his cane，and walked with him to the front door．Holding the door open for him，she said，"Come back and see us，Sir!"
He nodded a thank you and said softly with a smile，"You are very kind!"
When Mary went to clean his table，she was shocked．Under his plate she found a business card and a note written on the napkin，under which was a $ 100bill．
The note on the napkin read，"Dear Mary，I respect you very much，and you respect yourself，too．It shows by the way you treat others．You have found the secret of happiness．Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you．"
The man she had served was the owner of the restaurant．This was the first time that she，or any of his employees，had seen him in person．
1. When did the story happen? ( no more than 10 words)2. Please explain the underlined phrase “stand out” in English. (no more than 5 words)
3. What did the old man think of the waitress’ service? (no more than 8 words)
4. Why did the old man leave a 100 bill? (no more than 12 words)
5. According to the passage, how do you understand the meaning of “Happiness”? (no more than 25 words)
