1 . People are always afraid of making mistakes. But sometimes it’s not bad to make mistakes, and here is why.

At first, mistakes are a clear sign that you are trying new things. It’s always good to try new things, because when you are trying new things you are growing. If you never try new things, how can you improve? How can you create? The simple answer is, “You can’t.” Look around you, everything you see is the result of someone trying new things.

Another good thing about mistakes is this: when you are making mistakes, you are learning. Consider this: Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented the light bulb. When he was asked how he felt to fail that many times, he said that he hadn’t failed 10,000 times, but rather had learned 10,000 things that didn’t work.

Finally, when you make a mistake, you are that much closer to success. Why? Because you have said what you should say, and you have done what you should do. Every time you make a mistake, you are closer to success. But it doesn’t mean that you can make mistakes without thinking. Instead, when you try new things you have to think them over, so that you can keep away from some unnecessary mistakes.

We shouldn’t spend all our time and money on the only one way, but use them correctly. Because our time and money are limited (有限的).

There is an old saying, “If you are not making mistakes, you are not trying hard enough.” So go bravely and make mistakes. And learn. And grow. And succeed.

1. If you making a mistake, that means ________.

A．you’re careful

B．you’re kind

C．you’re growing

D．you know nothing

2. If you never try new things, you can’t ________.

A．improve

B．create

C．spend

D．A and B

3. After Edison failed 10,000 times, he ________.

A．gave up	B．invented the light bulb
C．invented the computer	D．invented 10,000 new things

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Never make mistakes	B．You can make mistakes without thinking.
C．Sometimes it’s good to make mistakes	D．Making mistakes is terrible.

2 . When I was a kid, my mom set aside some breakfast food for supper every now and then. I remember one night after a long, hard day at work, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and a plate of extremely burnt biscuits on the table. I waited to see if my dad would get annoyed.

All my dad did was to reach for the biscuits, smile at my mom and ask me how my day at school had been. I don’t remember what I told him that night but I do remember watching him add butter and jelly on that ugly burnt biscuit and ate every bite of that thing. He never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I rose from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for overcooking the biscuits and I will never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burnt biscuits every now and then.”

Later that night I went to say goodnight to my daddy, and I wondered if he really liked his biscuits burnt. He wrapped me up in his arms and said gently, “Your mom put in a hard day at work today and she is really tired. Besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!

As I have grown older, I’ve thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. Learning to accept each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences contribute to a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. We could extend this philosophy to any relationship, such as a husband-wife, parent-child, or friendship. Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket. Keep it in your own. So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.

1. How did the author’s dad react to the burnt biscuit?

A．He set it aside for breakfast.	B．He ate butter and jelly instead.
C．He uttered his complaints loudly.	D．He ate it up as if nothing happened.

2. What does the author suggest people do in the last paragraph?

A．Show understanding to imperfect things.

B．Ask the children to respect their parents.

C．Enjoy the over-cooked biscuits willingly.

D．Make important decisions on your own.

3. In which section of a magazine may this passage appear?

A．History and culture.	B．Family and relationship.
C．Cuisine and health.	D．Entertainment and sports.

3 . When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book and a poor man got it.

The book wasn’t very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin strip of vellum (羊皮纸) on which was written the secret of the “Touchstone (点金石)”. The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold. The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm while ordinary pebbles are cold.

So the man sold his house, bought a tent, camped on the seashore and began testing pebbles. He knew that if he picked up normal pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebbles hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold — throw it into sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea. The days stretched into months and the months into years.

One day, however, about mid-afternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done. He was used to throwing each pebble into the sea as soon as he picked it up. So when the one he wanted came along, he still threw it away.

So it is with opportunity. Unless we are careful, it’s easy to fail to realize an opportunity when it is in hand and it’s just as easy to throw it away.

1. According to the passage, the touchstone is a stone ________.

A．that you can touch

B．that can turn common metal into pure gold

C．that can bring you thousands of pebbles

D．that can bring you good luck

2. The man threw the touchstone into the sea because ________.

A．it was cold

B．it was a normal pebble

C．he was too tired to hold it

D．he had formed a habit

3. How did the man probably feel when he realized it was the touchstone?

A．Excited.	B．Moved.
C．Interested.	D．Regretted.

4. What does the writer want to tell us?

A．Opportunity knocks but once.

B．Use it or lose it.

C．Where there is a will, there is a way.

D．Practice makes perfect.

4 . There was a man playing the piano in a bar. He was a good piano player and always performed in this bar. People came in just to hear him play. But one night, a customer told him that he didn’t want to hear him just play the piano any more. He wanted him to sing a song.

The man said, “I don’t sing.”

But the customer was persistent. He told the bar manager, “I’m tired of listening to the piano. I want that man to sing!”

The manager shouted across the room, “If you want to get paid, sing a song. Our customers are asking you to sing!”

So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the first time. And everyone was surprised by his song — Mona Lisa. He got lots of applause (掌声) that night.

He had such a talent for singing, but he just had been sitting on his talent for the past years! If without such a chance, he may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar. However, now he had become one of the best-known singers in America.

You, too, have skills and abilities. Maybe your “talent” is not as great as the singer above, but it may be better than you think! And with effort, most skills can be improved. So, in your life, you should be brave enough to try doing different things and find out what talents you really have!

1. Why did the man start to sing?

A．Because he wanted to make more money.

B．Because the bar manager said he liked his song.

C．Because the manager asked him to sing at the request of a customer.

D．Because he wanted to show that he had a talent for singing.

2. What do you think of the bar manager?

A．Strict.

B．Rude.

C．Patient.

D．Kind.

3. What do the underlined words “he just had been sitting on his talent”probably mean?

A．He hated to sing.	B．He didn’t sing.
C．He had no talent for singing..	D．He didn’t discover his talent.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Some people really have no skills or abilities.

B．None of us is as great as the singer.

C．No skills can be improved even if you try.

D．Sometimes through effort we can know our talent.

5 . One of the most inspiring quotes(名言) I ever heard was by Brian Tracy. He said: “The_________between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people_________many more times than unsuccessful people.”

I deeply understood the _________ of the quote soon after my first book was published.

I was living in Atlanta at the time and ___________ my first signing sale for my new book at the phoenix and Dragon, the largest bookstore in the city. Although a nice sign was placed outside the room ___________ images of both me and my book, The 9 Insights of the Wealthy Soul, not a single customer entered the room. _________ each minute passed, I became increasingly _________.

At 6:25 pm, just before the store’s _________, I began to get myself ready to leave. At that moment, just when I couldn’t fell any _________, a middle-aged couple walked into the room. I managed to ____________ my emotions and introduced myself and my book.

The couple turned the pages each other, and the husband ____________ to his wife. She then told me, “I think we’ll get the book.”

Despite the impulse (冲动) to jump ____________, and hold their hands to thank them for being my __________ readers, I realized the woman was trying to say something else.

“The __________ we’re buying it is that our son died two years ago,” she said. “Maybe your book will help us ____________ it .”

At that moment, I knew if I never sold a copy of the book, my four years of __________ had been meaningless.

Although I would have many more challenging years ____________ my book became a bestseller, this couple’s story was all the __________ I needed at that point to keep me __________.

Thanks to them, I would realize that the greatest of lives are made all in the same way : One challenge ... one challenge ... one difficulty ... one step ... and one small ____________ at a time.

1.

A．distance

B．balance

C．difference

D．advantage

2.

A．hesitate

B．fail

C．complain

D．survive

3.

A．wisdom

B．impression

C．honor

D．analysis

4.

A．refused

B．decided

C．waited

D．arranged

5.

A．including

B．decorating

C．declaring

D．showing

6.

A．While

B．With

C．As

D．When

7.

A．curious

B．calm

C．angry

D．anxious

8.

A．disappearing

B．closing

C．crowded

D．opening

9.

A．good

B．bad

C．worse

D．better

10.

A．express

B．escape

C．read

D．hide

11.

A．replied

B．reacted

C．nodded

D．pointed

12.

A．on the ground

B．in a row

C．on the rise

D．in the air

13.

A．reliable

B．first

C．unusual

D．final

14.

A．reason

B．effect

C．purpose

D．result

15.

A．look through

B．come across

C．find out

D．get over

16.

A．writing

B．advertising

C．studying

D．waiting

17.

A．since

B．until

C．after

D．unless

18.

A．material

B．information

C．decision

D．power

19.

A．putting forward

B．falling down

C．moving forward

D．standing by

20.

A．success

B．failure

C．basis

D．pleasure

6 . Raynor Winn and her husband Moth became homeless due to their wrong investment. Their savings had been _______to pay lawyers’ fees. To make matters worse, Moth was diagnosed (诊断) with a _______disease. There was no _______, only pain relief.

Failing to find any other way out, they decided to make a _______journey, as they caught sight of an old hikers’ guide. When leaving home, Raynor and Moth had just £320 in the bank. They planned to keep the _______low by living on boiled noodles, with the _______ hamburger shop treat.

This turned out to be a long journey of _______ hardship and _______ recovery. In order not to cause any trouble, the Winns set their tent up _______ and packed it away early in the morning. Soon they ________ that daily hiking in their 50s is a lot ________ than they remember it was in their 20s. Raynor desired a bath often, which though, was no longer a daily thing. Moth, ________ after an initial struggle, found his symptoms were unexpectedly ________ by their tiring journey.

________ the couple found that their bodies turned for the better, with re-found strong muscles that they thought they had ________ forever. “Our hair was fried and falling out, nails broken, clothes ________ to a thread, but we were alive.”

During the journey, Raynor began a career as a nature writer. She writes, “ ________ material thing from me and left me torn bare, an empty page at the end of a(n) ________ written book. It had also given me a ________, either to leave that page ________or to keep writing the story with hope. I chose hope.”

1.

A．looked up

B．used up

C．backed up

D．kept up

2.

A．mild

B．common

C．preventable

D．serious

3.

A．cure

B．luck

C．care

D．promise

4.

A．business

B．walking

C．bus

D．rail

5.

A．expense

B．damage

C．level

D．rate

6.

A．frequent

B．occasional

C．abundant

D．constant

7.

A．unprepared

B．authorized

C．settled

D．predicted

8.

A．expected

B．frightening

C．disappointing

D．surprising

9.

A．later

B．early

C．late

D．slowly

10.

A．discovered

B．ignored

C．recovered

D．imagined

11.

A．harder

B．easier

C．cheaper

D．funnier

12.

A．therefore

B．however

C．besides

D．otherwise

13.

A．moved

B．survived

C．reduced

D．increased

14.

A．Originally

B．Gradually

C．Temporarily

D．Consequently

15.

A．gained

B．kept

C．wounded

D．lost

16.

A．sewn

B．washed

C．worn

D．ironed

17.

A．Doctors

B．Hiking

C．Lawyers

D．Homelessness

18.

A．well

B．partly

C．neatly

D．originally

19.

A．choice

B．reward

C．promise

D．break

20.

A．loose

B．full

C．blank

D．missing

7 . Beep! Beep! Beep! I rolled over and turned off my alarm clock. It was still _________ outside, so I felt my way to the wall switch (开关) and turned on the light. I got dressed _________ because I knew my dog, Fluffy, wanted to get outside very much. However, when I reached for my coat, I stopped. The weather here in the Appalachian mountains of my home didn’t follow a _________. It was snowy two days ago and warm yesterday. I had forgotten to _________ the weather report for today, so I wasn’t sure if I needed my light jacket or my heavy coat.

I_________my light jacket, and went out with Fluffy. The moment I stepped outside, I knew I had made the _______ choice. The wind was terribly cold. I _______ and complained a bit, but when I turned my head up to the sky, I was in _________. The sky was full of stars. Suddenly, I felt _______ inside of me and stopped shaking. I was ________ for the wonder of nature’s creation. In all of its sweet seasons, it had never __________ to soften my heart. It had heated my heart on the coldest days and __________ my spirit on the darkest nights.

Our lives are full of __________ as well. From the innocence(纯真) and youth of spring to the __________ and wrinkles(皱纹) of winter, we are all called to live, to give, and to love. __________ all your seasons then. Make each day of them a creation of your love!

1.

A．cold

B．quiet

C．dark

D．wet

2.

A．properly

B．naturally

C．quickly

D．finally

3.

A．tale

B．style

C．course

D．calendar

4.

A．present

B．check

C．discuss

D．prepare

5.

A．looked on

B．decided on

C．worked on

D．depended on

6.

A．wrong

B．right

C．hard

D．easy

7.

A．jumped

B．shook

C．argued

D．struggled

8.

A．anger

B．fear

C．need

D．silence

9.

A．warmth

B．beauty

C．stress

D．mystery

10.

A．ready

B．sorry

C．hungry

D．thankful

11.

A．afforded

B．failed

C．hurried

D．refused

12.

A．lit

B．shown

C．witnessed

D．broken

13.

A．dreams

B．surprises

C．wishes

D．seasons

14.

A．wisdom

B．energy

C．generosity

D．dependence

15.

A．Search

B．Acquire

C．Enjoy

D．Share

10 . In our living room, we have a bookshelf. We call it the “______ treasury” because any of our guests can take any book from it and ______ any book to it. Our home often hosts events with hundreds of different people passing through it. But no one ______ where the books come or go; it’s all based on trust.

These books are typically of the ______ types--from Jack Canfield’s Chicken Soup For the Soul, self-help books like Power of Now, to Romain Rolland’s The Biography of Celebrity. You can’ really be ______ what you’ll find on a particular day.

The other day, I ______ a red book. It stood out because it had special little white hearts on it and no title. I checked out Page one. It ______ a hand-written inscription (题词) in black ink:

To: DJ Burrowes
From: Grandma and Grandpa Burrowes

I quickly opened up a ______ page in the book. I spotted a quote, with a crossed out word written in the seemingly ______ handwriting of elderly Grandma or Grandpa Burrowes. Then I couldn’t wait to explore the inside. ______, every page had a hand-written quote by DJ’s grandparents. It was a(n) ______ of Grandparents’ quotes going back over many years! They had given it to their grandson and now, DJ had given it to us. It was this gift that ______ all of us!

A couple of weeks back, DJ decided to leave America to go on an open-ended trip to China. Before leaving, he came for an ______ at our place, putting this book on the shelf without letting us know. He offered his silent ______ in this way for what he benefited from our sharing. We stood in ______ of the Burrowes for what they left us.

1.

A．shared

B．secret

C．virtual

D．personal

2.

A．lend

B．submit

C．deliver

D．contribute

3.

A．suspects

B．tracks

C．ensures

D．assesses

4.

A．inspiring

B．professional

C．amusing

D．creative

5.

A．warned

B．convinced

C．guaranteed

D．justified

6.

A．referred to

B．chanced on

C．put away

D．subscribed to

7.

A．wrote

B．printed

C．read

D．explained

8.

A．fancy

B．specific

C．random

D．familiar

9.

A．shaky

B．awful

C．innocent

D．childish

10.

A．Unexpectedly

B．Hopefully

C．Shockingly

D．Thankfully

11.

A．tradition

B．exhibition

C．presentation

D．collection

12.

A．comforted

B．relieved

C．connected

D．attracted

13.

A．invitation

B．event

C．honor

D．adventure

14.

A．admiration

B．wishes

C．commitment

D．gratitude

15.

A．defence

B．recognition

C．honor

D．awe