1 . Why are so many people afraid of failure? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth.     1    

Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child's hastily made table as "Perfect!" in spite of its uneven legs. Another way is to pin the blame on someone else. If John fails science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.

The trouble with failure-prevention ways is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time—and that it's possible to enjoy a game even when you don't win. A child who is not invited to a birthday party, who does not make the honor roll on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course.     2     The young should be allowed to experience disappointment, and be helped to master it.

Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts adults and children alike.     3     Step one is to ask "Why did I fail?" Resist the natural impulse (冲动) to blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don't be shy about inquiring.

Success, which encourages repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a disastrous party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second.     4     After 12 years of studying ballet a friend of mine went to an interview for a professional company. She was turned down. "Would further training help?" she asked. The ballet master shook his head. "You will never be a dancer. You haven't the body for it."

In such cases, the way to use failure is to take stock (清点存货，清理) bravely asking "What have I left? What else can I do?" My friend put away her toe shoes and moved into dance therapy, a field where she's both competent and useful.     5     Often there is a resurgence (复活) of energy--an awareness of new possibilities.

A．Even a failure that seems definite can promote fresh thinking, a change of direction.

B．However, it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it.

C．You can also learn that failure is the mother of success.

D．And we forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.

E．Failure frees one to take risks because there's little to lose.

F．So be strong and never lose heart in the face of failure.

G．But parents should not offer a quick comfort, prize or say, "It doesn't matter" because it does.

2 . Dream in Heart

On the first day of school our professor introduced a new classmate—a wrinkled little old lady—to us. Her name was Rose, and she was eighty-seven years old.

After class Rose and I walked to the Student Union Building and shared a chocolate milk-shake. She told me she always dreamed of having a college education and now she was getting one. We became instant friends. Every day for the following months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always attracted, listening to this “ time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Rose became famous and easily made friends wherever she went. She tended to be highly motivated,responsible, and deeply involved in class participation. In spare time she had someone hang out or go to bars with. She even participated in some form of athletic activity. She said that extra-curricular activities can form a vital part of her experience, creating unique chances for friendship and learning.

At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football meal. A little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “ I’ m sorry I’ m so nervous.” As we laughed, she cleared her throat and began, “ We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you’ re nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year, you will turn twenty. If I’ m eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year, I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. It’ s non-optional but that doesn’ t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the chance in change. In this way the elderly don’ t have regrets for what they did, but rather for things they did not do.” Rose concluded her speech by courageously singing “ The Rose” . She challenged us to study the words of the song and lived them out in daily lives.

At the year’ s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in honor of the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’ s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

1. Why does the author compare Rose to “ time machine” in Paragraph 2?

A．To stress her old age and knowledge of life.

B．To describe the close friendship between them.

C．To show that she always enjoyed her active life.

D．To explain why she took on a challenge in college.

2. Rose was invited to speak at the football meal most probably because ______.

A．she was a great football fan

B．she was the smartest student

C．she tried hard to achieve her dream

D．she became more educated than the others

3. We can learn that Rose agreed with the idea that ______.

A．growing older means growing up

B．it takes talent and ability to grow up

C．receiving high education helps to be courageous

D．one grows older at the same time when he grows up

4. The passage is intended to ______.

A．provide an example for the elderly	B．discuss how to grow up quickly
C．tell the importance of attending college	D．inspire the readers to live up to lives

3 . Yesterday, I posted a story and afterwards donated a little money after I read others’ sad stories. Later, as I got into bed and completed my _________ and self-examination on the day, I came to the realization that I was _________ money. Wow! It was just a _________ to see this in myself.

It is _________ enough that in the real world I have money in the bank but don’t give away _________. I don’t have a lot of money,_________ enough to pay my bills and help my daughters. Also I save some money for a _________ day. I know I could give more but _________ and fed some comfort in a little pile of money. I’m quite _________ to see in myself that it is hard to practice the beautiful __________ in the real world. The belief is that the needs of people __________ are more important than having a little pile of money to feel __________ with.

So here I was doing the same __________ thing-saving but not giving away much money! With so many people waiting to be helped, it was pretty terrible for me to __________ how much I __________ seeing that little pile of money in my hands. I have already __________ today that even if it is hard to give it all away in the real world, I am going to guarantee more __________ will come my way.

There will always be enough money for me. I am not going to let __________ pile up anymore. I am going to give it away when I __________ it because love is __________ what makes the world go round.

1.

A．suffering

B．strength

C．reflection

D．forecast

2.

A．saving

B．earning

C．borrowing

D．wasting

3.

A．coincidence

B．wisdom

C．pleasure

D．shock

4.

A．rude

B．bad

C．beneficial

D．harmful

5.

A．another

B．anything

C．less

D．more

6.

A．but

B．for

C．and

D．so

7.

A．bright

B．sunny

C．lucky

D．rainy

8.

A．go out

B．show off

C．hold back

D．hide away

9.

A．peaceful

B．fair

C．ashamed

D．exciting

10.

A．dilemma

B．belief

C．figure

D．future

11.

A．on duty

B．in trouble

C．as well

D．in debt

12.

A．safe

B．risky

C．grateful

D．funny

13.

A．useless

B．necessary

C．intelligent

D．foolish

14.

A．refuse

B．improve

C．realize

D．abandon

15.

A．missed

B．enjoyed

C．hated

D．regretted

16.

A．evaluated

B．guessed

C．decided

D．ignored

17.

A．donations

B．items

C．wishes

D．surveys

18.

A．food

B．money

C．books

D．things

19.

A．get

B．eat

C．deliver

D．obey

20.

A．hardly

B．merely

C．sincerely

D．truly

4 . Big City Bus Driver

When I was 20, I went to stay with a friend for two weeks in Vancouver. My friend worked during the day, so I decided to go ____ on my own. I knew where I was and where I wanted to go, the Vancouver Aquarium（温哥华水族馆）. It sounded ____.

But soon I was completely ____. I boarded a bus, figuring it must do a circle, right? I rode a good half hour before becoming impatient and then got ____. I walked quite a while, up and down various blocks, but had no idea where I was.

I’ve lived in a tiny town all my life, rarely leaving it. Being a “small town girl”, I admit I’m fairly ____ about city life. People at home always told me city people were cold and unconcerned about others, so I was afraid to ____ to anyone.

I got on another bus, and then another again. Finally, after hours, I decided to get on ONE bus, and stay on ___ I recognized something. I rode over half an hour. Nothing ever seemed ____. When I became the only passenger on the bus, I began to get ____. I had no cellphone, and didn’t even ____ my friend’s office telephone number.

As I was about to give up and leave the bus, the driver asked ____ I wanted to go. I told him the aquarium, and he laughed, saying his bus wouldn’t go anywhere near. I ____ back in my seat, really afraid and upset. He asked where I was from, and I told him what had happened and now I just wanted to go back to my friend’s place.

__ , the driver pulled the bus over and called me to the front. He gave me detailed ____ as to which buses to take, and how to understand the bus system. He ____ printed the bus tickets I needed from his machine.

I was shocked. He spent a good twenty minutes ____ me, telling me everything I needed to know. Before giving me the tickets, I thanked him repeatedly, and asked him how much I ____ for tickets, “Nothing. Just get yourself to your friend’s home.”

Thanks to his ____, I was able to make my way back to my friend’s house. I don’t know what I would have done if that driver had not taken the ____ to help me. What people had told me was not true. City people ____, just like the driver. I never did learn his name, but I’ll always remember him.

1.

A．marching

B．shopping

C．cycling

D．exploring

2.

A．simple

B．special

C．far

D．true

3.

A．late

B．tired

C．alone

D．lost

4.

A．up

B．off

C．over

D．about

5.

A．guilty

B．impatient

C．ignorant

D．serious

6.

A．walk

B．nod

C．talk

D．write

7.

A．because

B．until

C．though

D．after

8.

A．familiar

B．interesting

C．necessary

D．ordinary.

9.

A．scared

B．surprised

C．angry

D．curious

10.

A．call

B．notice

C．tell

D．know

11.

A．how

B．why

C．whether

D．where

12.

A．looked

B．sank

C．dropped

D．kept

13.

A．Obviously

B．Amazingly

C．Gradually

D．Usually

14.

A．appointments

B．positions

C．instructions

D．requirements

15.

A．only

B．ever

C．almost

D．even

16.

A．with

B．on

C．at

D．to

17.

A．bought

B．owed

C．ordered

D．charged

18.

A．courage

B．honesty

C．kindness

D．trust

19.

A．time

B．pain

C．place

D．risk

20.

A．serve

B．behave

C．care

D．understand

5 . Trying new things is the only way we can discover hidden talents. I __________ my career as an editor for a magazine. I didn’t really mind the work, but I wanted something more __________. Then I was offered a management __________ of a digital reading company. The job was a seemingly _________ mix of my skills and interests, so I jumped at it.

_______, soon after I joined the company, its model changed to focus on K-12 education, and everything about my position changed. I was asked to take on the __________ different roles of selling content to teachers and training people. I felt more than a little __________ my comfort zone.

I knew I wanted to grow as a(an) __________ and make a serious effect on the company. I told myself that everything feels __________ at first and I should at least try. __________, I felt like I didn’t have a(an) __________. I knew jumping out of the __________ was the right thing for me, even though it felt pretty awful.

I was fortunate to be __________ by very helpful people, both at work and at home. They kept __________ me. I spent hours researching my company’s _________. I asked lots of questions and spoke to many people in need. I looked for opportunities to put in extra _________. The more I did, the better I felt.

Over time, I discovered that the job was _________ I could do and liked doing. It was an amazing __________ to see the company grow and know that my efforts contributed to __________ success and that it’s important to take risks and accept new __________. Actually, there’s nothing worse than failing because you refuse to even try.

1.

A．started out

B．moved up

C．developed

D．spent

2.

A．steady

B．comfortable

C．paying

D．challenging

3.

A．guidance

B．suggestion

C．position

D．course

4.

A．loose

B．perfect

C．mild

D．complex

5.

A．However

B．Instead

C．Additionally

D．Thus

6.

A．slightly

B．completely

C．relatively

D．strangely

7.

A．inside

B．around

C．within

D．outside

8.

A．individual

B．consumer

C．leader

D．adult

9.

A．silly

B．tough

C．fresh

D．easy

10.

A．On the contrary

B．In brief

C．In a way

D．On one hand

11.

A．choice

B．idea

C．dream

D．reason

12.

A．control

B．touch

C．nest

D．company

13.

A．informed

B．surrounded

C．followed

D．impressed

14.

A．convincing

B．reminding

C．accessing

D．encouraging

15.

A．staff

B．income

C．products

D．conditions

16.

A．effort

B．money

C．offer

D．care

17.

A．anything

B．everything

C．something

D．nothing

18.

A．profit

B．reward

C．platform

D．behavior

19.

A．my

B．their

C．your

D．its

20.

A．opportunities

B．requests

C．cultures

D．services

6 . “Hi, Mrs. Grady,” said Mark when their neighbor opened her door. “Would you like us to shovel（铲） your sidewalk and driveway?” Shoveling was Jamie’s idea, a way to earn enough money for the new Ocean Kingdom video game that came out the next day.

Mrs. Grady was happy, “That would be wonderful, boys. I think the job is getting to be too much for me.”
“It will cost 10 dollars,” Jamie said. “If that’s OK,” Mark added.
“Oh dear,” Mrs. Grady said disappointedly, “I haven’t been able to get to the bank. I can offer homemade cookies, but I realize that’s not what you had in mind.”

Mark was going to say that Mrs. Grady could pay them another time, but Jamie cut him off. “We’ll come back later.”

Mrs. Grady doesn’t look like the person who’d come to Mark’s rescue last summer when Mr. Dunn’s dog Goldie had just wanted to play, but Mark didn’t feel comfortable around big dogs. He wanted to call for help, but his tongue seemed locked behind his teeth. Then Mrs. Grady’s front door had flown open. She must have seen him from across the street. “Hold on, Mark. I’m coming!”   “Goldie” she’d called. As soon as Goldie had turned her head, Mrs. Grady had slipped between Mark and the dog. She wasn’t much taller than Mark, but she’d stood firm as a rock in front of him. “Goldie, go home!” Then she’d swept her broom to hurry the dog along. “Get!” Goldie had obeyed.

When Mark showed thanks to Mrs. Grady, Mrs. Grady laughed. “It was nothing. Good neighbors watch out for each other, don’t they?”

And now Mrs. Grady needed Mark as much as he’d needed her last summer. He smiled and waved at Mrs. Grady, then his shovel deep into the snow.

“Hey!” Jamie shouted. “What are you doing?” Mark couldn’t explain about Goldie and watching out for neighbors. “I like Mrs. Grady’s cookies,” he said.

1. Why did Jamie and Mark plan to clear the snow for Mrs. Grady at first?

A．To help the lady.	B．To visit New Kingdom.
C．To do volunteer work.	D．To earn pocket money.

2. Mrs. Grady couldn’t pay them most probably because ________.

A．she didn’t have enough cash	B．she couldn’t find the bank
C．she thought it was worthless	D．she couldn’t afford it

3. According to the story, which of the following words can be used to describe Mrs. Grady best?

A．Greedy.	B．Hopeful.
C．Hardworking.	D．Helpful.

4. Which of the following proverb can best summarize the story?

A．A penny saved is a penny earned.	B．Kindness is repaid with kindness.
C．Birds of a feather flock together.	D．Actions speak louder than words.

7 . Until I was 13, I assumed I was just like everyone else. But one day I read a piece of paper in my dad’s briefcase that _______ everything. That’s when I saw the words: “Simone is said to have Asperger syndrome (自闭症).”

I screamed at my dad, “Tell me what it is!” He _______ that I have a mild form of brain disorders, which was a problem that shapes the way I interact with other people. I wasn’t sure exactly what he _______ , but it didn’t matter. I just wanted to try to _______ my shock and go back to the way things were before I knew.

But even though I wouldn’t _______ accept the fact, Asperger’s (Asperger syndrome) still destroyed my confidence and made me _______. I felt like an outcast(被抛弃者) —not just because Asperger’s made it hard for me to make friends, but because now I had this_______. I just wanted to be like everyone else. _______, at 16, I said to myself, “Enough! You can’t run and hide from it, girl. Just face it.”

It’s funny, the first time I thought something was _______ was not because of what I couldn’t do—it was because of what I could do. In the sixth grade, while other kids were

__________ with spelling, I was like a human spell-checker! I’ve also had a photographic memory, and what I call my “super powers”—extrasensory hearing and acute __________I can __________   phone numbers people dial just by the sound the buttons make when pressed or

__________ hear one incorrect note in an entire symphony! And I can __________ pay attention to two things at once.

Don’t get me wrong. Asperger’s can be very confusing. For years I felt like a butterfly

__________ in its cocoon (茧），waiting to fly.   It took years of work with a psychologist to get over the __________ of making friends.

I’m not going to let Asperger’s create __________ for me. That’ why I am happy to have found out about and faced my __________.   Asperger’s is a metaphor (象征) for life: We all have

__________, but the key is to be able to have the __________ to face what’s bad about them and still find what’s good.3751.

A．prevented

B．improved

C．determined

D．changed

2.

A．explained

B．realized

C．apologized

D．suspected

3.

A．meant

B．predicted

C．concerned

D．doubted

4.

A．admit

B．subscribe

C．recognize

D．ignore

5.

A．appropriately

B．consciously

C．previously

D．specially

6.

A．anxious

B．stressed

C．lonely

D．ashamed

7.

A．memory

B．fate

C．label

D．matter

8.

A．Consequently

B．Gradually

C．Fortunately

D．Eventually

9.

A．unusual

B．specific

C．uncomfortable

D．awkward

10.

A．combining

B．exchanging

C．struggling

D．dealing

11.

A．emotion

B．awareness

C．eyesight

D．direction

12.

A．look out

B．call out

C．think out

D．make out

13.

A．even

B．still

C．ever

D．just

14.

A．sensitively

B．fully

C．flexibly

D．firmly

15.

A．absorbed

B．buried

C．engaged

D．trapped

16.

A．difficulty

B．happiness

C．confidence

D．bravery

17.

A．surprises

B．limitations

C．opportunities

D．experiences

18.

A．failure

B．desperation

C．disability

D．fear

19.

A．talents

B．dreams

C．challenges

D．aims

20.

A．ambition

B．courage

C．right

D．chance

8 . I considered an active social life as basic human necessity. Yet when it dawned on me just how much time I was spending socializing, I realized I may be taking it to an extreme. I calculated that, on average, I was spending 22 hours or more each week on social activities. So, to see what would happen to my work output, health and wellbeing, I decided to try and cut out my social life entirely.

I knew, at times, I filled my schedule simply out of fear of missing out (FOMO), but also as a way to shift focus away from my work. For one month, I declined all in-person activities with friends: going out for drinks; dinners; parties and non-work related events, to see if it would make me more productive, improve my focus and career prospects.

On day one of the month-long experiment, I had to fight some anxiety over missing out. But as the days passed, I started to relax. I only had one option to consider for Saturday night—to stay home—and this limitation left me more satisfied in my decision. I felt more content working, reading or watching TV.

While I found more time to work, I also noticed a change in my overall health. I found myself cooking more at home, doing daily exercise, getting to bed earlier each night, reading, and enjoying moments of rest and boredom throughout the day.

Having no social life left me more free time than I’d imagine. Such idle moments are vital for creativity, and mind wandering has been linked to creative problem solving. During the experiment I found myself regularly brainstorming new ideas and reimagining existing projects.

Of course socializing is an important way to build work contacts. While one month of no social life did not impact my relationship with existing clients, if I had continued, it may harm my ability to build new ones.

1. What did the author realize about his socializing?

A．It was difficult for him to contact people.

B．It’s a necessary part of his life and work.

C．He had spent too much time in socializing.

D．He should have spent more time socializing.

2. How did the author feel on the first day of his experiment?

A．He felt anxious that he might be left out.

B．He felt more energetic to get down to work.

C．He felt relaxed not having to contact people.

D．He felt doubtful whether he could hold on.

3. What benefit did the author find to let his mind wander lazily?

A．He could have more time with his family.

B．He could solve problems in a creative way.

C．He could be more concentrated on his work.

D．He could free himself from the work contacts.

4. What would the author do after the experiment?

A．Live a quiet life with his family away from the outside.

B．Make a new social life with any possible customers.

C．Spare some time regularly for creative thinking alone.

D．Continue his work contacts with his customers.

9 . To a large degree，the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. In spite of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you

are—always!

Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic (神经兮兮的）art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things—all at once. We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments, so much that we end up anxious, frustrated, depressed, and hopeless. On the other hand, we also delay our happiness, often convincing ourselves that "someday" will be much better than today. Unfortunately, the same mental dynamics that tell us to look foward to the future will only repeat themselves so that "someday" never actually arrives. John Lennon once said，"Life is what is happening while we are busy making other plans. " When we are busy making " other plans" ，our children are busy growing up，the people we love are moving away and dying, our bodies are getting out of shape, and our dreams are slipping away. In short, we miss out on life.

Many people live as if life were dress rehearsal for some late date. It isn't. In fact, no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow. Now is the only time we have，and the only time that we have any control over. When our attention is in the present moment, we push fear from our minds. Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future—we won’t have enough money，our children will get into trouble, we will get old and die, whatever.

To combat fear，the best strategy is to learn to bring your attention back to the present. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life，some of which actually happened.” I don't think I can say it any better. Practice keeping your attention on here and now. Your efforts will pay off.

1. In the first paragraph, the author tells us to focus on_________.

A．the past	B．the future
C．every day	D．the present

2. Why do we often have some negative feelings?

A．Because we often forget what happened in the past.

B．Because we are often disturbed by what happened in the past and what will happen in the future.

C．Because we often pay attention to what is happening at present.

D．Because we often ignore what will happen in the future and what happened in the past.

3. The underlined word in the last paragraph means ________

A．depend	B．deserve
C．determine	D．defeat

4. The best title of this passage is___

A．Always live in the present moment

B．Never forget the past

C．Never complain about life

D．Always get prepared for the future

10 . Do What You Enjoy

Sometimes you may find that you are not happy in your life，although everything is going well．Most of the time you have to _______this kind of unhappy life，since it is really hard to make changes and move on to a new business，which often involves taking _______

My father，however，was a quite different example．When I was about 9 or 10，he told me that I should
be whatever I wanted when I grew up，so long as I _______it．He said that if I were not feeling _______ ， I should try to change my life to make it more delightful，and I would find real_______as a result．From him   I learned a great lesson on the_______of doing one's favorite．

My father got into the insurance industry when he was very young，and he was very_______．He became one of the company's top salesmen，even though he was only 25 years old．Soon he became one of the first independent insurance salesmen in our state． _______，he decided to leave his successful _______and move   on to other fields．You might _______why he did so．The answer was simple：he liked to do something challenging，something that _______.his strength and ability，especially in a way that is interesting．My father just wanted to have a try，and so he did．After leaving the insurance company，he worked in social media and then in digital technology，which really _______him．Of course he wasn't successful in everything he   tried，but he told me for     _______that he did something he liked，and that he had the _______   of doing what he enjoyed． _______ one's comfortable life is not easy．I've learned this from my father，and I can say no matter _______   is good or bad，it is   _______ doing one's favorite．When we do something we love，it whether the gives us extra _______ to meet our goals，which are associated with psychological well-being and health．As long as we have no _______ and give it a try，we are forced to push against ourselves．After all we all want to be where we are _______ ourselves．

1.

A．lose

B．stop

C．share

D．continue

2.

A．risks

B．turns

C．steps

D．suggestions

3.

A．promised

B．enjoyed

C．admitted

D．adjusted

4.

A．lucky

B．safe

C．comfortable

D．special

5.

A．concern

B．pleasure

C．strength

D．talent

6.

A．value

B．honor

C．control

D．relief

7.

A．sensitive

B．cautious

C．optimistic

D．successful

8.

A．Besides

B．Therefor

C．However

D．Meanwhile

9.

A．schedule

B．career

C．reform

D．competition

10.

A．wonder

B．explain

C．blame

D．conclude

11.

A．limited

B．predicted

C．tested

D．affected

12.

A．confused

B．shocke

C．discouraged

D．attracted

13.

A．free

B．certain

C．good

D．real

14.

A．satisfaction

B．sympathy

C．responsibility

D．security

15.

A．Protecting

B．Selecting

C．Leaving

D．Arranging

16.

A．function

B．result

C．signal

D．attitude

17.

A．simple

B．normal

C．popular

D．worth

18.

A．motivation

B．consideration

C．occupation

D．qualification

19.

A．rights

B．faults

C．regrets

D．excuses

20.

A．convincing

B．evaluating

C．representing

D．challenging