A.Even if B.move on C. pick up D. break down E. benefit from F. common sense G. in a mess H.in touch with I. turn out J. make a difference K. in fear |
Life is full of challenges, but we must learn to
2 . My friend and I recently took an art class together through our town’s community education program. Our classmates were a mix of ages, stages of life, and experience with making art. We stood out in the class—not for our artistic talent, but for our consistent encouragement of ourselves, each other, and the group. It got me thinking how encouragement had become a routine.
It became something of a joke between the two of us to compliment(赞美) each other, offer a positive comment when another student showed his or her work, and generally chat around the table about how fun our project was going. But reflecting back, our positivist was anything but a joke. It was a bright light in my week, a space where I knew I could be surrounded with kindness, gentleness, and positivist.
Here’s the most special thing about it; my friend’s and my positive conversation wasn’t just encouraging, it was true. We didn’t go for cheap or false compliments like, “This painting should be in a museum!” Instead, we went for authentic(真实的) expressions of support and encouragement, like, “I love how you did that cloud!”
Over time, the class became something of a sacred space, because we had made a habit of using encouraging, supportive language. Sentence-starters like, “I like,” “I appreciate,” “I want to try”, kept us present, positive, and honest.
The encouragement also kept us engaged in the work of making art. I feel sure that I learned more—and practiced more at home—because the activity was shown in such consistently positive terms, grounded in a growth mindset, self-acceptance, and encouragement.
Having a friend to share an encouragement habit is fantastic, but you can practice it on your own as well. Compliment yourself in the mirror every morning. Keep a running “great work.” list of thing? you are doing well today. Trust in your ability to find something loving—and true-to comment today and every day.
1. What do we know about the author’s classmates?A.They admired those talented in art. |
B.They didn’t take art class seriously. |
C.They were of the same artistic level. |
D.They were on good terms in the class. |
A.By showing false compliments to others. |
B.By decorating their class as a museum. |
C.By displaying abstract art works in the class. |
D.By offering supportive language around them. |
A.It made him hopeful and confident. |
B.It needed to provide more practice. |
C.It was cheap and easy to carry out. |
D.It promoted his communication skills. |
A.To introduce a community education program. |
B.To call for good action to support those in need |
C.To describe how to make encouragement a habit. |
D.To comment on the power of authentic expressions. |
3 . I didn’t go to Santiago, Chile to look for friendship. In fact, Chile was not even on my wish list.
A mid-life crisis woman, I got a chance to study abroad. I only wanted to learn about global business, taste South American cuisine, and check “study abroad” off my wish list.
On the fifth day, I joined a group for a neighborhood work project aided by the anti-poverty (扶贫) organization. Our tasks were to build a water tower and paint the community center. Upon arrival, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a scene out of a horrible film. That moment redefined poverty for me because I had never seen such terrible living conditions. As advised, I showed no signs of the motional battle going on inside me.
Just as I was about to start work on painting, a request came through for a few volunteers to help Nadia, a local resident who volunteered to cook for us. I raised my hand to help because I wanted spend time with the people of the neighborhood despite my shortage of Spanish speaking skills.
Nadia had a sincere smile but not overly friendly. Even without speaking each other’s language we started to learn about one another. We chatted about our children, our upbringing, shared picture of our family, struggled to instruct each other to communicate in the other’s language, and laugh many times.
After we fed everybody and the dishes were washed, my day was over. But I found myself hesitant to leave. It was as if I had known her my entire life. I had not predicted the unselfishness heart I would encounter, and it was moving.
As we were waiting for the car to pick us up, Nadia showed me her plants that are well-maintains. I could see that despite the hard conditions she was passionate about life. She made me long to be stronger person. She showed me that poverty was external, but happiness was internal. I was seeking to give 100 percent for a well-intentioned cause, but I left receiving 200 percent from her.
1. What was the author’s initial purpose of going to Chile?A.To find new friends while traveling. | B.To participate in an anti-poverty project. |
C.To fulfill the desire to study abroad. | D.To gain a graduate certificate in business. |
A.She decided to relieve the poverty. | B.She kept her emotions well hidden. |
C.She comforted the shocked volunteers. | D.She refused to continue the present task. |
A.She felt very sympathetic toward Nadia. |
B.She longed to interact with the local residents. |
C.She wanted to improve her Spanish speaking skills. |
D.She preferred cooking to painting the community center. |
A.True friends are never apart in heart. |
B.Happiness is defined by a positive attitude. |
C.Language is not a barrier to great connections. |
D.Unselfishness is putting others before ourselves. |
4 . As a little girl, I’d sit in the kitchen and watch my mother cook, but I didn’t really get into cooking. When I graduated from college and moved lo Washington DC, I left all of my friends behind. There were no new roommates. I was on my own and felt lonely. Home-cooked meals were my best attempt at changing my condition.
So, I started calling my mom and asking for the recipes (食谱) for my favorite dishes. It turned out that my mom didn’t have any recipes. She couldn’t give me a single measurement (计量) for any dish. She grew up in the kitchen with her mom too, and my grandma shared her knowledge through oral (口头的) tradition. Then it was my turn. My mom taught me how to “measure with my heart” when cooking. I learned to cook by tasting and feeling my food. And my food was pretty good. Soon enough, everyone was asking me for the recipes. That was why Bun Bo Bae, my cooking blog, came into being in 2019.
Bun Bo Bae was a space for me to put what I learned into writing. I didn’t want all of the secret knowledge behind dishes like my mom’s noodles and my dad’s tomato soup to disappear if the oral tradition ended one day. I wanted to write down every piece of advice I was given in detail.
These days, I experiment more. I’m not as strict with myself about recreating the dishes exactly as I remember about eating them. I use seasonal food materials when I can’t find some items. My food blog and flower count grew, and so did my confidence in the kitchen.
Bun Bo Bae also increased my confidence at work and gave me a space to write about what I love. It has connected me to countless new Internet friends.
Most importantly, writing for Bun Bo Bae has taught me that celebrating my culture doesn’t have to be about perfectly recreating my parents’ tradition. It’s about mixing what I’ve been taught with my own experiences, and cooking up something entirely new.
1. Why did the author begin her home-cooked meals?A.To lead a healthy lifestyle. | B.To get rid of her loneliness. |
C.To try out her mother’s recipes. | D.To improve her cooking skills. |
A.She had trouble creating new recipes. |
B.She followed strict measurements in cooking. |
C.She made tastier dishes than her mom and grandma. |
D.She mastered cooking skills under her mom’s oral guidance. |
A.To bring her family members together. |
B.To discuss local fine foods with followers. |
C.To keep a record of her family’s cooking tradition. |
D.To encourage people to develop healthy eating habits. |
A.It’s important to learn a basic living skill, |
B.It’s necessary to share her food knowledge online. |
C.It’s better to understand different cooking cultures. |
D.It’s wise to connect traditional cooking methods with new ideas. |
5 . It was the end of the school day, and I was tired. I grabbed a pile of about 130 exam papers to
My principal (校长) pushed her head into my classroom and said, “Friendly
My principal was
However, after three years of teaching, I went to graduate school in part to study how resources
A.distribute | B.preview | C.grade | D.write |
A.reminder | B.warning | C.trick | D.comment |
A.advanced | B.formal | C.hidden | D.available |
A.copy | B.explain | C.repeat | D.collect |
A.excuse | B.promise | C.request | D.joke |
A.upset | B.curious | C.passionate | D.uncertain |
A.displayed | B.assessed | C.exchanged | D.polished |
A.connected | B.blocked | C.lined | D.covered |
A.locations | B.activities | C.rules | D.appearances |
A.impress | B.assist | C.confuse | D.challenge |
A.affected | B.protected | C.reflected | D.united |
A.annoyed | B.surprised | C.disappointed | D.amused |
A.made use of | B.set aside | C.looked down upon | D.showed off |
A.kind | B.right | C.patient | D.humble |
A.bond | B.space | C.sample | D.future |
6 . I was then in my early twenties. Even though I was armed with a degree in Education, finding a
This year, when a golden opportunity
One day when the kids were
That experience showed me the
A.first-rate | B.well-paid | C.labor-saving | D.full-time |
A.escaped | B.demanded | C.arose | D.arranged |
A.jumped at | B.thought about | C.waited for | D.dreamt of |
A.occupied | B.amused | C.concerned | D.contented |
A.familiar | B.positive | C.strict | D.consistent |
A.evaluating | B.supporting | C.instructing | D.congratulating |
A.graded | B.dismissed | C.tested | D.taught |
A.note | B.gift | C.parcel | D.book |
A.judged | B.indicated | C.emphasized | D.accompanied |
A.hardened | B.touched | C.broken | D.gladdened |
A.simply | B.casually | C.carefully | D.eagerly |
A.reminder | B.treasure | C.proof | D.secret |
A.comfort | B.fortune | C.fantasy | D.privilege |
A.target | B.application | C.power | D.principle |
A.clarify | B.find | C.feel | D.spread |
7 . In 2016, when I was on the graduate scheme (计划) at Deutsche Bank, Marie Inafidon, chief executive of Stemettes, who encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), was also working there. I didn’t meet her at the time, but I did read an article about her and her career.
Learning at 21 years old about the career of a young black woman’s succeeding in a traditionally white male-dominated industry was one of the most influential things that ever happened to me. It gave me confidence that it was possible to do well in the office and work on personal external project at the same time.
Role models can play a central role in shaping a young professional’s career. They are especially important if you belong to an under-represented group for whom a lack of representation in the workplace can lead to feeling isolated and lacking in confidence. They can help those just starting out, whether or not they are a graduate as I was, to believe in their own abilities.
There’s a growing need to have accessible role models. Given the tendency to exaggerate (夸大) success stories, hearing from women who talk honestly about the challenges they have faced, either when starting a business or forming a new career path, is much more effective. A study revealed that 70 per cent of girls say they think differently about their futures after hearing from women role models.
I’m frequently asked about what businesses could be doing to increase racial diversity in the workplace. A good starting point is to actively promote and support the voices of the people in the organisation that are leading positive change and inspiring others. This makes a real difference. Unlike the tokenism (装样子) I still come across, which results in individuals being made the lone representative for a group without real support from the organisation.
Things came full circle for me when I interviewed Ms. Inafidon for my book in 2019. I was able to tell her of the incredible impact her passion and confidence had had on me as a graduate trainee and how grateful I would always be for that.
1. What do we learn about Marie Inafidon?A.She became successful at 21. |
B.She was a trainee at Deutsche Bank. |
C.She encouraged girls to take up STEM-related work. |
D.She helped the author with her external project personally. |
A.Experienced professionals. | B.A graduate eager to succeed. |
C.People without special abilities. | D.The young from an under-represented group. |
A.Taking on challenging projects. |
B.Reading more made-up success stories. |
C.Starting their own business as early as possible. |
D.Listening to women role models share their experiences. |
A.Encourage positive opinions. |
B.Make more colored people authorities. |
C.Include more people of different races. |
D.Understand the true meaning of tokenism. |
8 . Every Friday night the Chevron gas station food mart offers a discount on the leftover food. To ensure the best selection, my mother and I pile into our old car and
Chevron shopping
Grocery shopping at Chevron has its
I’m
And that is why I hold on to the idea of
A.settle down | B.pull up | C.hang about | D.show off |
A.award | B.share | C.change | D.credit |
A.continued | B.started | C.ran | D.worked |
A.encounter | B.match | C.inspection | D.visit |
A.dismiss | B.develop | C.bend | D.accept |
A.but | B.so | C.when | D.unless |
A.purposes | B.drawbacks | C.features | D.grounds |
A.excited | B.guilty | C.grateful | D.anxious |
A.declines | B.suffers | C.hurts | D.struggles |
A.threatens | B.promises | C.agrees | D.pretends |
A.shocked | B.confused | C.embarrassed | D.bored |
A.avoid | B.join | C.arrange | D.cancel |
A.simplicity | B.generosity | C.integrity | D.flexibility |
A.pride | B.bitterness | C.heat | D.sweat |
A.figure out | B.wait for | C.agree on | D.break off |
When we were finally dismissed from the last class of the day, the students streamed out of the classrooms. It was another boring day after school. I dragged my feet home as I sighed. Yet another uneventful day, I thought. Little did I know that the day would take a turn for the worse.
The lift lobby (电梯间) of my flat was old and dirty. The walls, which were painted white, had been dirtied over many years. I reached my flat’s lobby, and pressed the lift button and went in. Just then, Mrs Lim, my elderly neighbour, hobbled (蹒跚) in. She looked ancient with tissue paper white hair, wearing a faded old-fashioned dress. I held the lift door open, flashing a friendly smile, and politely greeted her. I asked her how she felt that day and pressed the buttons. She thanked me for being so polite, then we were silent for the rest of the ride.
The lift fell down increasingly fast. There were loud clanking sounds here and there while the lift grew slower and slower. My heart beat hard and fast as my hands turned cold and wet with sweat. Unfortunately, the lift came to an abrupt stop at the fifth floor. I pressed the buttons hard several times, but it was of no help. The lights on the buttons had gone out. It soon dawned on me that we were trapped. An icy fear crept up my spine. Mrs Lim was hysterical (歇斯底里).
“We will never get out!” she cried with her face pale. It had become a colourless mask. I had no time to lose. I pressed the bell in the lift immediately. The sound was surely deafening, but what other choice did I have? Mrs Lim burst into tears. I tried my very best to comfort her, telling her that everything would be all right and that we needed to find out how to get out safely. Mrs Lim began having trouble breathing, and I immediately helped her sit down and loosened her collar.
Paragraph 1: Several minutes passed, but no help came.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Bang! My hopes were lifted when I heard the firefighters on the other side of the lift door.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . The doorbell rang one mid-December evening. I frequently had unexpected visitors in those early days after my husband’s
Sam had died that fall,
The next night, the doorbell rang again. Another
For the next couple of nights, my boys waited near the front door to see who was leaving the gifts, but the bearer would always choose the moment they left to
I didn’t know who the secret Santa was. But there was one thing I did know. In those dark days of
After 11 days of offerings, we weren’t sure what to
A.promotion | B.death | C.retirement | D.operation |
A.Otherwise | B.Besides | C.Instead | D.Therefore |
A.rope | B.paper | C.flower | D.ribbon |
A.leaving | B.finding | C.naming | D.considering |
A.agreed | B.planned | C.managed | D.promised |
A.arrived | B.returned | C.ended | D.escaped |
A.book | B.toy | C.box | D.pet |
A.designing | B.including | C.showing | D.making |
A.get through | B.set off | C.move on | D.turn up |
A.regret | B.sadness | C.anger | D.disappointment |
A.annoying | B.funny | C.urgent | D.powerful |
A.dream | B.light | C.future | D.home |
A.difference | B.effort | C.comparison | D.contribution |
A.support | B.offer | C.expect | D.appreciate |
A.something | B.nothing | C.anything | D.everything |