1 . It was early winter several years ago. I had pulled out my old winter coat for another year’s use. It was still in pretty good shape although it was looking dirty from so many winters’ wear. I didn’t really need a new one but I wanted one and casually mentioned it to my daughter one day. She was such a sweet, loving girl that I should have guessed what would happen next. A few weeks later she gave me a new winter coat as a gift.
I put the old one in my closet and started to wear the new coat every day. Each day, though, when I opened my closet, something troubled me. It seemed a shame that my old but still good coat should just sit there keeping no one warm during the cold winter days. After a few weeks, I took it out and drove to a local charity shop. I knew that there was someone who couldn’t afford a coat but could get my old one.
My new coat is my old coat now. It is getting a little dirty and worn, too. It has black marks on the sleeves. It is in too bad shape to even donate to charity. I wonder if I should buy a new one soon, but I think I will wait for a while. I don’t really need a new one and maybe I can find something else to give to the charity shop instead.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of Have was never large enough to cover.” Perhaps the best way to deal with our wants then is to give instead. Love, after all, brings us the most joy. And the more of it you give away, the more of it you have.
1. Which word can best describe the author’s daughter?| A．Wealthy. | B．Thoughtful. | C．Easy-going. | D．Humorous. |
| A．It cost too much. | B．It was looking dirty. |
| C．There was not enough room for his new coat. | D．It was not sent to someone in need. |
| A．Telling his daughter. | B．Buying a new one soon. |
| C．Donating it to charity. | D．Sending something else to charity. |
| A．Giving fills our wants. | B．Love is the key to joy. |
| C．The more you give, the more you lose. | D．A coat is large enough to cover our wants. |
2 . Is your life being restricted (限制) by limiting beliefs that you’re holding on to? Like many, you may find yourself stuck in an unhappy relationship and your life is unsatisfying.
It’s probably not due to a lack of ability, physical or monetary reasons.
It is your choice that matters most. Let go of your limiting beliefs and begin moving forward.
| A．I will overcome it. |
| B．So it is time to let go. |
| C．You need to look inside. |
| D．So you have to look forward. |
| E．Yet you seem unable to do anything about them. |
| F．Limiting beliefs is potentially destroying your future. |
| G．For example, you can replace “I am ugly” with “I can attract the right partner”. |
3 . In a quiet Northern California neighborhood, Michael seemed like a normal 11-year-old boy. His family made use of the Californian sunshine to grow orange trees and roses. All seemed good from the outside, but Michael was troubled.
Since he was taken in at 3 years old, Michael never really connected with his parents. There was a strictness about them that his nature couldn’t understand, and he was left to himself to sort out (整理) confusing feelings and the need for connection.
Without the tie a young boy needs at home, Michael often found himself down the street at his best friend’s house. Of course, the two boys laughed, read picture books and ate junk food. But the real reason why Michael liked his friend’s home was Mr. Christensen. He was the kind of father who understands boys.
With Mr. Christensen, the boys spent hours in the garage fixing an old sports car. They drove up the California coast at high speed, feeling the salt wind wash over them. The car was too loud to allow for any conversation, which was fine with Michael. He didn’t yet know how to express his feelings; for the time being, just being able to feel them was enough.
For many young boys, the language of connection is written in the wrenches (扳手) they and their parents turn, the wrestling matches they watch, the hours of their watching clouds race by overhead. Mr. Christensen understood that boys need time to learn this language. He knew a boy learns respect and duty by being loved in an unspoken way.
Some 50 years later, Michael remembers his time with Mr. Christensen. “My own father couldn’t raise me, so I was given away. My adoptive father (养父) did his best but never allowed a relationship to form between us. Luckily for me, I had Mr. Christensen. I have tried to be the kind of father he was, teaching, having fun and spending time with my child.”
1. What was the problem with young Michael?| A．He had to do hard work on the farm. |
| B．He dropped out of school with his best friend. |
| C．He was given up by his parents as a little kid. |
| D．He was treated badly by his adoptive parents. |
| A．Strong wind. | B．Too loud noise. | C．Busy repair work. | D．Driving excitement. |
| A．By taking part in competitions. | B．Through communication. |
| C．By studying hard. | D．Through doing things together. |
| A．Mr. Christensen. | B．His friends. |
| C．His own father. | D．His adoptive parents. |
4 . In the 1950s, British historian Northeaster Parkinson came up with a concept which was later known as Parkinson’s Law of Triviality. It states that the amount of time spent discussing an issue in an organization is oppositely associated with its actual importance.
Parkinson’s Law of Triviality is also known as “bike-shedding (车棚)”, after the story Parkinson uses to illustrate it. He asks readers to imagine a financial committee meeting to discuss a three-point agenda. The points are as follows: A proposal for a f10 million nuclear power plant; A proposal for a f350 bike shed; A proposal for a f21 annual coffee budget.
What happens? The committee ends up running through the nuclear power plant proposal in little time. It’s too advanced for anyone to really dig into the details. The discussion soon moves to the bike shed. Here, everyone’s an expert. In the end, the committee runs out of time and decides to meet again to complete their analysis.
Bike-shedding happens because the smaller a matter is, the more people will have an opinion on it, even when there is no real value to add. When something is outside of our circle of competence, like a nuclear power plant, we don’t even try to express an opinion. But when something is understandable everyone wants to show that they know about the topic at hand.
How can we avoid bike-shedding? The main thing you can do is to have a clear purpose. Priya Parker, the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, says that any successful gathering needs to have a focused purpose. “Specificity,” she says, “is a key element.”
When it comes to choosing your list of invitees, Parker writes, “if the purpose of your meeting is to make a decision, you may want to consider having fewer cooks in the kitchen.” Getting the result you want—a thoughtful, educated discussion about that power plant—depends on having the right people in the room.
1. What is Parkinson’s purpose of presenting the imaginary meeting?| A．To state a fact. | B．To clarify a concept. | C．To make a prediction. | D．To introduce a new point. |
| A．The more you know, the less you speak. |
| B．What is simple for you may be tough for others. |
| C．What requires more work may get less attention. |
| D．The more you put in, the better your result will be. |
| A．Planning before the meeting. | B．Getting the right people to the table. |
| C．Spending less time on the minor issues. | D．Taking different opinions into account. |
| A．Purpose: The Key to an Effective Meeting |
| B．Talent: A Crucial Element in Organizations |
| C．The Bike Shed Effect: Avoiding Small Matters |
| D．Nuclear Power Plant: The Less-known Proposal |
5 . A few weeks ago, my teenage daughter Lisa failed a test. The grade might stop her from qualifying for the next class she wants to take. There were tears and some complaints for a few minutes. Then I saw something interesting. She made a joke, expressed gratitude that she didn’t have bigger problems, and finally made a plan on how to make improvements.
She was never the same as she was one year ago. That one was unwilling to take responsibility. That one stayed in anger and blamed others. We expect our kids to learn and grow. We hope for it. However, most of us grow through adversity (逆境), even trauma (精神创伤). It happened to Lisa last year repeatedly. She searched for ways to get her bearings and equip herself when everything around her was changing by the day. Psychologists call it post-traumatic growth.
Trauma refers to an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, attack, natural disaster, or other life-changing happenings. The growth after trauma doesn’t mean we get through challenges uninjured. It’s been a scary and painful time, for everyone, in one way or another. We may experience disbelief, depression, and even denial. As time moves on, people who have experienced trauma may have headaches or other physical symptoms, emotional ups and downs, and even relationship problems. Trauma does leave its irremovable marks.
However, in one study, researchers surveyed nearly 385 people who experienced financial difficulty during the pandemic. 88 percent of the people surveyed say they also have experienced some positive outcomes—They now have stronger family relationships and a greater appreciation of life.
1. What is Lisa like now when she fails?| A．She tries to cover it. |
| B．She is positive and adult. |
| C．She acts unconcerned. |
| D．She wants to make excuses. |
| A．There is no sweet without sweat. |
| B．Experience is the father of wisdom. |
| C．Difficult situations are likely to make one stronger. |
| D．Responsibility is often more important than ability. |
| A．By analyzing existing data. |
| B．By quoting a psychologist. |
| C．By contrasting a person’s constant changes. |
| D．By giving examples together with study results. |
| A．It usually comes at a high price. |
| B．It produces little negative feelings. |
| C．It is one of the fastest ways to make improvements. |
| D．It is growth that does both good and harm. |
6 . Miss Marquis was my mentor (导师) when I was 12 and she’s my mentor now as a teacher.
My family moved to the UK from Saudi Arabia in 2017. When I started school there, I didn’t have a great understanding of the English language. Thankfully, I had an amazing teacher called Miss Marquis who helped me get through it. She pushed me all the way and gave me the right guidance.
During my teacher training with ARK, I was given a place at Globe Academy in London as a math teacher. When I saw the head of the English department was Miss Marquis, my jaw (下巴) dropped. It was unbelievable.
I still can’t call her by her first name. The respect I have for her is still there. In one of the lessons I observed she was reading the same book we used in our GCSEs and it took me back to the days when I was being taught by her. You knew you could go to her and share your problems. At the same time, you would never mess about in her lesson. Misbehaving was simply not done.
My aim as a teacher is affected by her. Teaching is about the mark you make on other people’s lives. I’ve worked in a few different schools during my training but I chose ARK because it gives opportunities to children who may not be from wealthy backgrounds. I am trying to have an impact on these people.
It doesn’t matter how many books you read, and nothing can prepare you for your first lesson. I have read all the theories about how to manage behavior but a lot of them just go out of my head when I walk into the classroom because they’re not robots. They’re all unique individuals and you can’t control them. You need to put the work in and build relationships with the students.
1. When did the author get to know Miss Marquis?| A．When he began school in a totally new place. |
| B．When he worked as a guide at an English school. |
| C．When he experienced difficult situations in ARK. |
| D．When he arrived in Saudi Arabia with his family. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Puzzled. | C．Amused. | D．Shocked. |
| A．Cold and selfish. | B．Kind but strict. |
| C．Gentle but careless. | D．Energetic and friendly. |
| A．To be devoted to his/her teaching career. |
| B．To be equipped with enough knowledge. |
| C．To respect and encourage his/her students. |
| D．To be well prepared for his/her first lesson. |
7 . The biggest misconception that I've ever heard of is that in order for us to find success in anything, we must be willing to give up something else.
Over the years, I've come to realize that isn't true. As I grow, I find several things are truly stopping us from living a more fulfilling life. Below are some.
Place limitations on yourself
On the surface, limitations are the things that stop you from achieving something.
Lack self-control
We all have some aspect about ourselves that we don't like.
Our ability to come up with creative solutions for our problems comes from our ability to learn and adapt. If you're not learning anything, you're not progressing. Leonardo da Vinci once said, "Learning never exhausts the mind." And I believe it.
Final thoughts
When you get stuck on something, you are never truly stuck
| A．Lack self confidence. |
| B．Lack learning and adaptability. |
| C．We shouldn't bottle up our own weaknesses. |
| D．Maybe you're someone who drinks a lot of alcohol or smokes. |
| E．It means that what you are currently doing isn't enough to get you over the barrier. |
| F．Whether it's career or health, one must be sacrificed in order for the other to succeed. |
| G．However, limitations are also the things that keep you restricted in the same life cycle. |
8 . Peer pressure is the phenomenon where we tend to get influenced by the lifestyles and the ways of thinking of our peers. Peer pressure can prove beneficial but it is often observed to have negative effects on society.
We tend to get influenced by the lifestyles of our peer group. The changing ways of life of our peers often force us to change our ways of looking at life and leading it. It's a human tendency to do what the crowd does.
When you do not like a particular idea, it is obvious that you won't like to follow it. For sure, you won't like to go that way. But it is your peer group that may force you to do something you hate. In such cases, there are chances that you won't do well in those things.
There are many teenagers who experience great pressure from their peer group that forces them to take to drinking.
| A．Peer pressure is not always bad. |
| B．So what is negative peer pressure? |
| C．Peer pressure can lead to a loss of individuality. |
| D．Things you do not enjoy doing cannot bring you success. |
| E．However, following your peers blindly leaves a negative effect on your life. |
| F．They may even enjoy something as harmful as drug use because of peer pressure. |
| G．However, the good effect of the crowd is greater during your teen years. |
9 . For humans, ignorance (无知) is inevitable (不可避免的) : It's our natural state. There's too much complexity in the world for any individual to master. Ignorance can be frustrating, but the problem is not ignorance itself.
According to David Dunning, ignorant people don't know how ignorant they are. If you give a group of people a task to do and then ask them how well they think they've done on the task. Poor performers overestimate how well they've done; strong performers often underestimate their performance: This is because those who lack skills also lack the knowledge of what skills they're missing.
Our ignorance, in general, shapes our lives in ways we do not know about. Put simply, people tend to do what they know and fail to do what they don't know.
This is a fact of life.
| A．Ignorance means you have neither. |
| B．So they think they're pretty good. |
| C．It’s the trouble we get into by not recognizing it. |
| D．But ignorance has costs. |
| E．It's knowledge of possibilities that makes us miss them. |
| F．We can't choose what we don't know about. |
| G．In that way, ignorance channels the course we take in life. |
