1 . I opened my car window and called out “Ma’am! Ma’am!” The only lady in the parking lot looked around until she saw me. “I just wanted to tell how nice you look today,” I said. “The colors you have on are beautiful on you.” Her face registered surprise for a second, and then she smiled. “Thank you!” she called back. Her final steps to her car seemed lighter, and I smiled to myself.
I grew up with very few cheerleaders in my own life. When I was in the middle of fighting a battle for my life, I had been confirmed depression, along with anxiety. It has taken many years and more effort and determination than I thought I was capable of recovering from this illness. With no cheerleaders in my court, I fought this battle alone. I am proud of the progress I have made thus far. There are times when I thought, if only I had had someone to hold me and say, “Susan, I believe in you. You can do this, and I’ll be there every step of the way.” I wonder how much sooner I would have recovered. I’ll never know.
So I have made it a point in recent years to praise people, especially women and girls. Instead of just thinking that someone looks nice or did a great job, I say it out loud. It doesn’t take long, and it’s easy. So, I wonder, why don’t more people do this? As women, we have learned from our role models to be quiet. We downplay (淡化) our own achievements even when we do receive a rare compliment (恭维). Now, when I compliment someone and she denies, I say to her, “Just say thank you.” Most women are relieved that they don’t have to deny the compliment; they can accept the praise without guilt.
Cheerleading doesn’t require any skills. It only takes a few seconds, although you do have to remind yourself to do it. Eventually, it becomes a habit.
1. How did the lady feel after hearing the author’s praise?A.Delighted. | B.Anxious. |
C.Relaxed. | D.Worried. |
A.Her experiences. |
B.Her habit. |
C.Her personality. |
D.Her ambition. |
A.She can be rewarded. |
B.She can be appreciated. |
C.They can accept the praise. |
D.They should say something. |
A.Caring. | B.Brave. |
C.Outgoing. | D.Honest. |
2 . At 13, I resolved to be an amazing teacher, overwhelmingly driven by a
In fifth grade, Ms. Charlotte, an English teacher could magically
She told us stories from books we would otherwise never
What a man! So Ms. Charlotte inspired us to fight for our own pride and defend it,
Now, dear teachers, we love you and thank you from the bottom of our heart! I will keep the
When your dreams come alive you’re unstoppable
Take a shot, chase the sun, find the beautiful
We will glow in the dark turning dust to gold
1.A.depressing | B.burning | C.living | D.entertaining |
A.transport | B.interpret | C.deliver | D.transform |
A.feature | B.factor | C.function | D.flavour |
A.attached | B.advocated | C.breathed | D.exposed |
A.pursue | B.contract | C.emerge | D.correspond |
A.pick up | B.put up | C.set up | D.get up |
A.catching | B.carving | C.casting | D.ceasing |
A.seal | B.seashell | C.fish | D.dolphin |
A.declare | B.contain | C.encounter | D.integrate |
A.drilled | B.soiled | C.nailed | D.covered |
A.genuine | B.identical | C.tough | D.internal |
A.right away | B.at once | C.on the spot | D.on end |
A.embarrassed | B.depressed | C.disappointed | D.exhausted |
A.in addition | B.despite | C.due to | D.given |
A.stick | B.hit | C.strike | D.rank |
Does wealth matter more than health?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Many people think that money brings happiness. However, according to Professor Michael Argyle, this is not true. In Britain, we are
Professor Argyle has found that very poor people and very rich people are unhappier than those in between. For example, very poor people in
Because of this, a few young millionaires are changing their life styles. Richard Cross, a multi-millionaire computer analyst ( 分 析 师 ) from California is an example. His house
So what can make
5 . There are a lot of good and logical reasons not to say what you think, especially when others disagree. Offending people isn’t nice, and it can lead to social consequences. Nodding along might seem practical or charitable, despite the fact that you are screaming disagreement on the inside. However, the true act of charity is to say what you really think. Your committing to complete honesty can be an act of love.
One of my friends takes honesty to the extreme. He calls talks with others that get to the complete truth of things, even difficult admissions in views, “love conversations”. Once two people have such a conversation, his theory goes, they can understand each other and act accordingly. As a philosophical matter, my friend’s belief of “love conversations” is Kantian. The German philosopher Kant argued that lying to others prevents them from making choices based on the truth, which is contradictory with friendship and love.
In the 1990s, Brad Blanton argued when the truth is hard to accept, telling it can have costs, including social disapproval and broken relationships. But it is worth the consequences because it can reduce stress, deepen connections with others, and reduce emotional reactivity.
Both sides can’t be right here. Either Kant, Blanton, and my friend are embracing a faulty theory, or our society is missing a big opportunity for moral growth. You might say that little white lies are a society lubricant (润滑剂). They can even seem virtuous. After telling a white lie, I sometimes pat myself on the back, turning my evil into a virtue inside my own head. Some lies might make life easier, but they don’t necessarily make life happier. I wouldn’t want my wife to tell me what she thinks I want to hear, as if we were strangers avoiding conflict, and finding out that she had done so would make me feel distrusted and therefore hurt our relationship. I don’t want a stranger to tell me she likes my writing if she doesn’t, because unreal compliments make me suspicious.
1. What can we learn from “my friend” in Paragraph 2?A.He admits other’s views with great honest. | B.He practices Kant’s philosophical theories. |
C.He loves to discuss philosophy with others. | D.He prevents himself from difficult choices. |
A.stressful and emotional | B.unacceptable and harmful |
C.thoughtless but courageous | D.challenging but deserving |
A.To distinguish his wife from a stranger. | B.To show his wife’s honesty and virtue. |
C.To argue for the importance of frankness. | D.To stress avoiding suspicion in marriage. |
A.Telling the truth can be an act of love. | B.The route to happier life lies in lies. |
C.Little white lies are actually virtuous. | D.Our society is being corrupted by lies. |
6 . I have a strong faith that the pain is almost gone but the feeling of success will stay forever. I was among the 38,000 runners who participated in the marathon (马拉松赛跑), the largest event of its kind in Asia.
My decision to participate in the marathon was because of the insistence of my wife, who had run the half-marathon previously. This year, she wanted me to participate along with her. Unexpectedly, her application got rejected while mine got accepted.
Though I had been into fitness training before, it seemed to be a daunting task to run 21 km. I started training about 10 weeks before the day. I had made up my mind to finish the run. So I tried my best to accommodate training into my busy schedule whenever I could.
What’s more, I remembered that four weeks into my training, my shoes were worn. I searched and hunted and literally spent a fortune on a new pair of shoes. However, right on the first day of running with them, I felt that they were not for me. I preserved, thinking that my discomfort was because the shoes were new. Eventually, I gave up on them. I even tried looking for another new pair of shoes, but couldn’t find that were as comfortable as my old ones.
Finally, on 16th January 2011, I ran and completed the half-marathon. And I did it in my old shoes.
Now, when I think about it, it all seems so easy. All I had to do was to picture completing the run in good time in my mind.
What I have learned from the experience is that completing a marathon is like any other goal in life — largely a mind-over-matter phenomenon. In other words, unless you believe you can reach your goal, you’ve lost even before you begin. No doubt, factors such as hard work, experience and talent help to a greater or lesser degree. But without your belief that you will get there, every goal remains difficult to achieve.
1. Why did the writer participate in the marathon at first?A.It was the largest event of its kind. |
B.He had run the half-marathon previously. |
C.His wife insisted on him participating. |
D.He had been training for a long time. |
A.The writer was the best among all the runners. |
B.The writer tried his best to do some marathon training. |
C.The writer’s fitness training before was only a little help to him in the run. |
D.The writer’s old shoes were very expensive. |
A.self-confidence is the primary factor in a marathon. |
B.to win a marathon depends on your mind, not on your shoes |
C.it would be easy if you made up your mind to begin it |
D.belief can bring you success in a marathon |
A.Practice Makes Perfect. | B.Insist on Your Decision |
C.The Pain before Success | D.A Running Lesson |
7 . 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 |
8 . None of my friends are going to the art camp. Despite my
Sitting under the bright sun, I thought about the art camp and wished I felt a little braver. To distract myself, I started sketching a pine.
I thought about what Mr. Weston told me as I
A.anxiety | B.enthusiasm | C.recognition | D.expectation |
A.pleasant | B.curious | C.familiar | D.regular |
A.Informing | B.Teaching | C.Convincing | D.Reminding |
A.added | B.counted | C.submitted | D.noticed |
A.pressed | B.pulled | C.lifted | D.arranged |
A.came up | B.came across | C.checked in | D.checked out |
A.trunks | B.leaves | C.branches | D.roots |
A.press | B.plant | C.hide | D.follow |
A.makes sense | B.makes out | C.makes it | D.makes up |
A.eye | B.nose | C.mouth | D.ear |
A.glared | B.stared | C.aimed | D.knocked |
A.wide | B.long | C.high | D.far |
A.Otherwise | B.Therefore | C.Instead | D.Besides |
A.surprisingly | B.slightly | C.suddenly | D.fortunately |
A.statement | B.presentation | C.appointment | D.application |
9 . There is a man who I’d like to tell you about. His name is Sandy Greenberg. Sandy was a very good student, but he came from a poor family. And so he went to Columbia University, but while there, he became blind.
But something else happened to Sandy that may surprise you. Sandy said that when he lost his sight, his roommate would read his textbooks to him, every night. As a result, Sandy went on to graduate. He got a scholarship, and he went off to study at Oxford.
One day, Sandy got a call at Oxford, and his former roommate said, “Sandy, I’m really unhappy. I really don’t like being in graduate school, and I don’t want to do this.”
So Sandy asked, “Well, what do you want to do?”
And his roommate told him, “Sandy, I really love to sing. I have a high school friend who plays the guitar. And we would really like to try the music business. But we need to make a record, and in order to do that I need $500.”
So Sandy Greenberg told me he took all his life savings and sent it to his roommate. He told me, “You know, what else could I do? He made my life; I needed to help make his life.”
I almost forgot. You probably are wanting to know who Sandy’s roommate was. I think you’ve heard of him. Sandy’s roommate was a fellow by the name of Art Garfunkel, and he teamed up with another musician by the name of Paul Simon. That $500 helped them make a record that eventually became “The Sound of Silence.”
I hope you’ll remember the power of doing well by doing good. Each of you, in your own lives, will be faced with challenges and problems that you didn’t expect. How you are able to deal with adversity will be influenced by how you deal with others along the way. What you get will depend a lot on what you give. And that’s the end of the story of doing well, by doing good.
More importantly, when you get to be my age, you will find yourself beginning to ask, did my life make a difference? I think the only way to face this question is to consider, every day of your life: How can I do something for somebody else? How can I give back to others? It may be teaching, it may be becoming a doctor, you may be successful in business — no matter what your career path, there will always be the opportunity to give back. The chance will present itself to give your time, give your money, but mostly, to give your own heart and soul.
1. When Sandy Greenberg lost his sight, ____________.A.he had thoughts of quitting college | B.he overcame the difficulties on his own |
C.he borrowed a friend’s notes | D.a friend helped him with his study |
A.Sandy had a difficult time at Oxford |
B.Sandy and his roommate both went on studying after their graduation |
C.singing was one of Sandy’s hobbies |
D.Sandy’s roommate was a great success at graduate school |
A.to encourage us to face difficulties bravely |
B.to tell us to change our path in life if we want to |
C.to show that disabled people can succeed with help |
D.to tell us that by helping others, we can also help ourselves |
A.difficulty | B.generosity | C.kindness | D.friendship |
A.helping others to make sure that we are successful |
B.using our life to make a difference to others |
C.being a teacher so that we can give back to others |
D.starting to be generous when we become older |
10 . As an ordinary senior school student, I’ve discovered a wonderful way to
When I get on my bike and ride around familiar streets, it feels like I’m on a small quest. It’s not just about reaching a(n)
Another thing that cycling has taught me is to be ready for surprises. The road isn’t always
The most important part, though, is how cycling makes me feel happy and
In the end, my daily bike rides have become more than just a way to get around. They’ve become a(n)
A.estimate | B.approach | C.guarantee | D.challenge |
A.phenomenon | B.coincidence | C.adventure | D.entertainment |
A.flexible | B.unique | C.traditional | D.responsible |
A.cooperation | B.dilemma | C.crisis | D.destination |
A.discovery | B.value | C.comment | D.growth |
A.top | B.coast | C.stage | D.platform |
A.describe | B.detect | C.remove | D.overcome |
A.delicate | B.fragile | C.smooth | D.tough |
A.volunteer | B.insist | C.pray | D.panic |
A.original | B.unexpected | C.crucial | D.natural |
A.useful | B.efficient | C.carefree | D.curious |
A.apply | B.recharge | C.develop | D.recognize |
A.alarmed | B.embarrassed | C.fresh | D.emotional |
A.audience | B.passenger | C.victim | D.guide |
A.determination | B.attempt | C.comfort | D.calmness |