1 . You run into the grocery store to pick up one bottle of water. You get what you need, head to the front, and choose the line that looks fastest.
You chose wrong. People who you swear got in other lines long after you are already checked out and off to the parking lot.
It turns out, it’s just math working against you; chances are, the other line really is faster.
Grocery stores try to have enough employees at checkout to get all their customers through with minimum delay.
If there are three lines in the store, delays will happen randomly at different registers. Think about the probability:
Researchers have a good way to deal with this problem. Make all customers stand in one long, snaking line- called a serpentine line-and serve each person at the front with the next available register.
A.Why does this always seem to happen to you? |
B.So why don’t most places encourage serpentine lines? |
C.Some of the may have stood in a queue for almost an hour. |
D.The chances of your line being the fastest are only one in three. |
E.How high is the probability that you are in the fastest waiting line? |
F.With three registers, this method is much faster than the traditional approach. |
G.But sometimes, as on a Sunday afternoon, the system gets particularly busy. |
2 . Growing up, I was fortunate to have dinner with my family almost every day. Sometimes, the family dinner circle
Apart from suffering from
I am aware that my sons are growing up quickly and will be out of the
A.widened | B.formed | C.lessened | D.closed |
A.missed | B.avoided | C.enjoyed | D.recorded |
A.wasted | B.treasured | C.limited | D.calculated |
A.shows | B.dishes | C.recipes | D.moments |
A.However | B.Otherwise | C.Therefore | D.Besides |
A.sleep | B.dine | C.study | D.play |
A.suitable | B.flexible | C.satisfying | D.demanding |
A.maintains | B.disturbs | C.improves | D.strikes |
A.fear | B.anger | C.guilt | D.hunger |
A.predict | B.create | C.evaluate | D.accept |
A.work out | B.calm down | C.hold on | D.catch up |
A.unwillingly | B.casually | C.consciously | D.carelessly |
A.louder | B.shorter | C.simpler | D.sweeter |
A.assists | B.guides | C.allows | D.orders |
A.office | B.kitchen | C.house | D.park |
3 . When I retired, my wife Peg said “Great! You’ll have time to clean the garage!” After 30 years’
I pushed at the garage’s wooden doors, but they were as
I
Six weeks later, I was out in the yard when I
A.dream | B.belief | C.study | D.service |
A.freedom | B.purpose | C.trust | D.security |
A.worn | B.stuck | C.broken | D.lost |
A.delicate | B.special | C.hard | D.sharp |
A.removed | B.washed | C.cleaned | D.fastened |
A.labeled | B.selected | C.yellowed | D.ruined |
A.Curiously | B.Sincerely | C.Skillfully | D.Bravely |
A.collected | B.planted | C.abandoned | D.stored |
A.old | B.wet | C.weak | D.small |
A.anger | B.surprise | C.regret | D.relief |
A.delay | B.reflect | C.hesitate | D.disappoint |
A.upset | B.awake | C.social | D.busy |
A.expected | B.attempted | C.failed | D.happened |
A.showed up | B.fallen off | C.taken off | D.dried up |
A.compete | B.grow | C.survive | D.relax |
4 . I was born legally blind. Of all the stories of my early childhood, the one about a
I was only two when the
Mom loves to use this story as an
We are almost certain to get
A.trip | B.race | C.tree | D.driver |
A.incident | B.change | C.illness | D.problem |
A.feared | B.refused | C.forgot | D.turned |
A.delay | B.absence | C.freedom | D.rest |
A.landed | B.slept | C.laughed | D.wept |
A.promised | B.encouraged | C.allowed | D.expected |
A.woke | B.picked | C.warmed | D.gave |
A.adds | B.replies | C.admits | D.supposes |
A.drove | B.lived | C.stood | D.zoomed |
A.crashed | B.broke | C.climbed | D.looked |
A.answer | B.example | C.excuse | D.order |
A.able | B.ashamed | C.afraid | D.anxious |
A.ask | B.share | C.learn | D.try |
A.honesty | B.toughness | C.kindness | D.curiosity |
A.regretted | B.reviewed | C.made | D.explained |
A.job | B.friend | C.fortune | D.house |
A.memories | B.efforts | C.research | D.experience |
A.mixed up | B.fed up | C.knocked down | D.settled down |
A.play | B.relax | C.dream | D.cry |
A.all at once | B.in the end | C.in either case | D.as a result |
5 . My First Marathon(马拉松)
A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.
I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P.E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later informed me that I was "not athletic".
The idea that I was "not athletic" stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!
The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.
Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces(鞋带) became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!
At mile 3, I passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"
By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.
By mile 21, I was starving!
As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.
I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.
Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a "marathon winner".
1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.A.was well trained | B.felt scared |
C.made up his mind to run | D.lost hope |
A.To acknowledge the support of his teacher. |
B.To amuse the readers with a funny story. |
C.To show he was not talented in sports. |
D.To share a precious memory. |
A.He made it. | B.He quit halfway. |
C.He got the first prize. | D.He walked to the end. |
A.A man owes his success to his family support. |
B.A winner is one with a great effort of will. |
C.Failure is the mother of success. |
D.One is never too old to learn. |
6 . Age is truly just a number if our hearts are young. Lee Minor, an 85-year-old retired psychologist, has
“I like to run in all kinds of
Minor’s enthusiasm for running is
Last fall, Robert graduated from the university, despite the challenges of his illness. “When I went across the stage, and as I’m getting my
The stories of Minor and Robert are reminders that age and illness need not
A.proven | B.approved | C.won | D.imagined |
A.starting | B.center | C.finishing | D.bottom |
A.depressed | B.thrilled | C.calm | D.uneasy |
A.weather | B.zones | C.illness | D.phases |
A.position | B.footprints | C.reflections | D.route |
A.infectious | B.temporary | C.blind | D.restricted |
A.wait | B.abandon | C.exist | D.run |
A.award | B.suspend | C.quit | D.pursue |
A.powerful | B.visible | C.boring | D.accurate |
A.uniform | B.application | C.certificate | D.license |
A.slid away | B.gave up | C.broke in | D.choked out |
A.emotional | B.identical | C.financial | D.abstract |
A.enjoy | B.reject | C.doubt | D.expect |
A.save | B.define | C.distinguish | D.witness |
A.scholarship | B.fitness | C.passion | D.career |
7 . Recently, I accidentally found a set of Hanfu l only wore once from the bottom of the cupboard. I remember buying them simply to match the ancient-style hair accessories (配饰) a friend gave me. It occurred to me that 1 had been trapped in the “birdcage effect”.
“Birdcage effect” means that when you get an item one day, you will prepare more things to match it. Weeks ago, I was in the company of friends engaged in shopping. One said that she wanted to buy a good writing pen to match the delicate notebook that her sister gave her, so that she would fall in love with taking notes on reading, and thus love reading, not just reading. I joked that she must have fallen for the “birdcage effect”. But the friend said with a smile: “Why not use the ‘birdcage effect’ instead?”
For the first time, I heard that the “birdcage effect” can be used in reverse (逆向). However, this can’t help but remind me of middle school, and I seem to have used the “birdcage effect”. Passing by a bookstore one day, I purchased a magazine and saw the call for contributions published in the magazine, so I started writing with eager hands, and then I fell in love with writing.
After shopping with my friends that time, I began to proceed to use the “birdcage effect”. I bought a small fresh tablecloth to decorate my desk, and a beautiful notebook to record my inspiration. When everything was ready, I started writing again.
But how can we get rid of the “birdcage effect” in many things, and even use the “birdcage effect” in the opposite way? Various “birdcages” unavoidably appear in life, but we can distinguish them. If it is not in line with the actual situation, it is a “negative birdcage”, then we must learn to stop losses in time and maintain a heart of abandonment and separation. If it is a “positive birdcage” that motivates us to develop upward, we can clarify our goals, shop or decorate appropriately, and motivate ourselves to move towards our goals. At this time, you will find that the “birdcage effect” is actually not so terrible!
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?A.The application of the “birdcage effect” in life. |
B.The necessity of using the “birdcage effect” in life. |
C.The turning point of the author’s idea on the “birdcage effect”. |
D.The author’s conflict with her friend over the “birdcage effect”. |
A.To recall her delightful days at school. |
B.To explain the reason for her love with writing. |
C.To confirm the positive of the “birdcage effect”. |
D.To prove her knowledge of the “birdcage effect”. |
A.By realizing this effect has two sides. |
B.By promoting our personal consumption. |
C.By recognizing this effect is not so terrible. |
D.By guiding our acts to go with reasonable goals. |
A.Getting Rid of the Birdcage Effect Confidently |
B.Motivating Ourselves to Move Towards Our Goals |
C.The Birdcage Effect: Influence on Consumer Behavior |
D.The Birdcage Effect: How to Use It to Your Advantage |
8 . I lost my sight when I was four. I can hardly
It
Life asks a continuous series of
Once a man gave me a baseball. I thought he was kidding me. I was
“Take it with you,” he
The words
All my life, I have set different goals and tried to reach them. I had to learn my
A.describe | B.remember | C.assess | D.bear |
A.mattered | B.happened | C.occurred | D.brought |
A.barely | B.specially | C.simply | D.extremely |
A.adjustments | B.commitments | C.appointments | D.assignments |
A.apply to | B.rely on | C.believe in | D.disapprove of |
A.faster | B.bigger | C.easier | D.better |
A.in spite of | B.in addition to | C.out of | D.for the sake of |
A.change | B.strengthen | C.create | D.decrease |
A.thrilled | B.shocked | C.amused | D.hurt |
A.persuaded | B.urged | C.questioned | D.begged |
A.stuck | B.passed | C.followed | D.buried |
A.useless | B.fantastic | C.discouraging | D.impossible |
A.faults | B.scores | C.advantages | D.limitations |
A.failure | B.burden | C.ignorance | D.trouble |
A.profit | B.fame | C.progress | D.success |
9 . “Keep staring! I might do a
People stare at me all the time so I thought this shirt would be funny. See, I’m a dwarf(侏儒). Most of the time people aren’t trying to be
I was born with achondroplasia(软骨发育不全症), the most
I’m not going to pretend my height isn’t a
But everyone faces challenges. You have to face them with a good attitude. So, I have a long barbecue fork to
My shirt shows people the
A.favor | B.magic | C.trick | D.survey |
A.rude | B.nice | C.indifferent | D.hospitable |
A.avoid | B.evaluate | C.appreciate | D.object |
A.common | B.special | C.scary | D.outstanding |
A.hardly | B.particularly | C.awfully | D.practically |
A.challenge | B.symbol | C.milestone | D.barrier |
A.stars | B.ceiling | C.counters | D.ladders |
A.break away from | B.keep up with | C.draw back | D.bring along |
A.legs | B.steps | C.pants | D.distance |
A.pull down | B.pick up | C.drag along | D.stab into |
A.brakes | B.extensions | C.devices | D.stands |
A.something | B.little | C.anything | D.enough |
A.adjusting | B.changing | C.perfecting | D.testing |
A.tall | B.different | C.strong | D.real |
A.ashamed | B.aware | C.capable | D.proud |
10 . At 28 years old, I lost my job as a full-time magazine editor. I’d always dreamed of becoming a self-employed writer, but I
Despite the fear I felt at
I’ve been working for myself full-time for two years. Not only am I happier thanks to a(n)
When it comes to big dreams, many of us plan out every last detail so that we feel
When Jennifer Qiao got
Never let over-planning get in the
A.enjoyed | B.imagined | C.started | D.suggested |
A.so | B.but | C.once | D.although |
A.diving into | B.carrying on | C.breaking up | D.letting out |
A.offer | B.option | C.application | D.judgement |
A.shared | B.treated | C.understood | D.faced |
A.strict | B.tight | C.flexible | D.ambitious |
A.chief | B.part-time | C.retired | D.salaried |
A.eager | B.grateful | C.prepared | D.regretful |
A.fired | B.employed | C.dressed | D.married |
A.born | B.forgotten | C.stolen | D.rejected |
A.plan | B.charge | C.market | D.deadline |
A.widely | B.quickly | C.secretly | D.officially |
A.business | B.challenge | C.organization | D.game |
A.adjusted | B.referred | C.contributed | D.grown |
A.form | B.way | C.beginning | D.middle |