1 . Most of us in the enterprising community are blessed—or harmed—with higher-than average ambition. Ambitious people strongly desire accomplishments and are willing to take more risks and spend more effort to get them.
Overall, this is a positive quality, especially for people trying to build their own businesses. Apparently, if you’re more naturally driven to set goals, you are more likely to succeed.
Actually, this isn’t always the case. In fact, in some cases, extreme ambition may end up doing more harm than good.
One major side effect of excessive ambition is the tendency to focus too determinedly on one particular vision or end goal. This is problematic because it prevents your ability to adapt to new circumstances, which is vital if you want to be a successful entrepreneur (创业者). If a new competitor emerges to threaten your business, you may need to change direction, even if that means moving away from your original vision. If you have too much ambition, you’ll find this hard, if not impossible.
Few people are successful when they try to build their first brand. Unfortunately, for the most ambitious entrepreneurs, a failure is seen as disastrous and impossible to recover from.
It’s a clear departure from the intended plan to ward the intended goal. For people with limited ambition, however, failure is viewed as something closer to reality. Remember, failure is unavoidable, and every failure you survive is a learning experience.
Ambitious people tend to be more successful in material wealth than non-ambitious ones. However, they’re only slightly happier than their less-ambitious counterparts, and tend to live significantly shorter lives. This implies that even though ambitious people are more likely to achieve conventional “success,” such success means nothing for their health and happiness—and if you don’t have health and happiness. what else could possibly matter?
Clearly, some amount of ambition is good for your motivation. Without any ambition, you wouldn’t start your own business, set or achieve goals and get far in life. But inappropriate ambition can also be dangerous, putting you at risk of burnout, stubbornness and even a shorter life.
1. What does the author think of most entrepreneurs?| A．They are more willing to risk their own lives. | B．They are more ambitious than ordinary people. |
| C．They achieve greater nonconventional success. | D．They have more positive qualities than most of us. |
| A．Ambitious people may not have a greater chance of success. |
| B．Ambitious people may not have more positive qualities. |
| C．Entrepreneurs’ ambition docs as much good as harm. |
| D．Entrepreneurs are more naturally driven to success. |
| A．Holding on to once’s original vision. | B．Being able to adapt to new situations. |
| C．Focusing determinedly on one particular goal. | D．Avoiding total change in one’s career direction. |
| A．It will awaken them to reality. | B．It is a lesson they have to learn. |
| C．It means the end of their career. | D．It will result in a slow recovery. |
| A．Distinguish between conventional success and our life goal. |
| B．Follow the example of the most ambitious entrepreneurs. |
| C．Avoid taking unnecessary risks when starting a business. |
| D．Prioritize health and happiness over material success. |
2 . As a child, it took many falls and shakes before I could comfortably ride a bike. When it came to swinging a bat, I had no problem with the swing, but locating a ball in midair was another thing altogether. Learning to swim was my greatest challenge. As an 8-year-old attending a camp, I looked on sadly as the other boys in my group sailed off while I remained behind, clinging to the side of the pool.
Perhaps this is why I hesitated when a friend suggested that I try stand-up paddle boarding. My fear was that my ability to grasp a new physical skill had not improved with the passing decades. In truth, stand-up paddleboarding had already caught my eye. During visits to Maine lakes, I had seen its practitioners paddling lazily under a warm sun. It looked so easy, as the only thing it needed was the ability to stand up, right?
So in a burst of optimism, I bought an inflatable (可充气的) paddleboard and, with my friend Mike in tow, headed for a lake deep in the woods, out of sight of potential laughing. I began by kneeling upon the unsteady platform. Slowly, laboriously, I tried to stand — and immediately flew into the water. I mounted it again, and again I flipped (滑倒).
They say that it is the sense of smell that most powerfully recalls distant memories. I disagree. It’s the act of falling that reminds one that learning is an energy-intensive effort: falling from my bike, falling after swinging a bat with all my strength through empty air, and falling through — instead of floating on — the water at the camp. New physical skills may seem to be more difficult to acquire later in life, but the effort — and the understanding that falling is part of the process — is accompanied by faith born of experience. I did learn how to ride a bike, I did learn to swim, and, I did learn to get that bat on the ball.
And so, immediately, I mounted the paddleboard, ending with the slow, unsteady ascent onto my feet until — yes! — I stood upright.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph about the author?| A．He had difficulty in learning at school. | B．He lacked talent in various sports events. |
| C．He was a slow learner of physical skills. | D．He faced challenges confidently in childhood. |
| A．He became a little lazy after growing up. |
| B．He doubted his ability to learn new skills. |
| C．He couldn’t bear practicing it in a burning sun. |
| D．He was afraid to fall into water while paddling. |
| A．To practice floating in a nice place. | B．To practice paddleboarding in the shade. |
| C．To paddle about lazily in the warm sun. | D．To avoid being laughed at by others. |
| A．Falling is actually part of the process of learning. |
| B．The sense of smell reminds us of our past memories. |
| C．More energy is needed in the effort for learning. |
| D．Adults find it really difficult to learn physical skills. |
| A．holding on to | B．mounting on to | C．getting on to | D．catching on to |
3 . Recently, I accidentally found a set of Hanfu l only wore once from the bottom of the cupboard. I remember buying them simply to match the ancient-style hair accessories (配饰) a friend gave me. It occurred to me that 1 had been trapped in the “birdcage effect”.
“Birdcage effect” means that when you get an item one day, you will prepare more things to match it. Weeks ago, I was in the company of friends engaged in shopping. One said that she wanted to buy a good writing pen to match the delicate notebook that her sister gave her, so that she would fall in love with taking notes on reading, and thus love reading, not just reading. I joked that she must have fallen for the “birdcage effect”. But the friend said with a smile: “Why not use the ‘birdcage effect’ instead?”
For the first time, I heard that the “birdcage effect” can be used in reverse (逆向). However, this can’t help but remind me of middle school, and I seem to have used the “birdcage effect”. Passing by a bookstore one day, I purchased a magazine and saw the call for contributions published in the magazine, so I started writing with eager hands, and then I fell in love with writing.
After shopping with my friends that time, I began to proceed to use the “birdcage effect”. I bought a small fresh tablecloth to decorate my desk, and a beautiful notebook to record my inspiration. When everything was ready, I started writing again.
But how can we get rid of the “birdcage effect” in many things, and even use the “birdcage effect” in the opposite way? Various “birdcages” unavoidably appear in life, but we can distinguish them. If it is not in line with the actual situation, it is a “negative birdcage”, then we must learn to stop losses in time and maintain a heart of abandonment and separation. If it is a “positive birdcage” that motivates us to develop upward, we can clarify our goals, shop or decorate appropriately, and motivate ourselves to move towards our goals. At this time, you will find that the “birdcage effect” is actually not so terrible!
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The application of the “birdcage effect” in life. |
| B．The necessity of using the “birdcage effect” in life. |
| C．The turning point of the author’s idea on the “birdcage effect”. |
| D．The author’s conflict with her friend over the “birdcage effect”. |
| A．To recall her delightful days at school. |
| B．To explain the reason for her love with writing. |
| C．To confirm the positive of the “birdcage effect”. |
| D．To prove her knowledge of the “birdcage effect”. |
| A．By realizing this effect has two sides. |
| B．By promoting our personal consumption. |
| C．By recognizing this effect is not so terrible. |
| D．By guiding our acts to go with reasonable goals. |
| A．Getting Rid of the Birdcage Effect Confidently |
| B．Motivating Ourselves to Move Towards Our Goals |
| C．The Birdcage Effect: Influence on Consumer Behavior |
| D．The Birdcage Effect: How to Use It to Your Advantage |
4 . A confident smile is a happy smile. Have you ever had a stranger smile at you while you were out in public? Maybe you were feeling down, but their genuine and friendly smiles literally made you turn your frown upside down. All thanks to that smiley person, your negative attitude suddenly subsided. It is hard to believe that such a small gesture can impact your mood so sim ply, but I would be lying if I said that I’ve never experienced this feeling. I’m sure you can relate.
With that being said, science can back this up. Where are these happy feelings coming from? Well, when you smile at someone, you may feel like you’re experiencing temporary happiness.That is because endorphins (内啡肽) are released in the brain when you smile. Endorphins can be described as natural painkillers for the body, which also boost your self-esteem (自尊). Smiling is really a simple act of kindness, which can also make you feel better about yourself.
As an illustration, someone going in for a job interview with their heads held high, and smiles on their faces will have a better chance of scoring the job. Employers remark that a person who looks down when they speak to avoid showing their smiles during an interview, most likely won’t be hired, because it looks as though they are hiding something. However, that person with an inviting smile shows confidence. No matter what you look like, a smile is worth a thousand words and people can recognize that.
It gives me such a rewarding feeling helping children, teens, and adults to build their selfesteem through treatment. It’s all worth it seeing that spark of joy in my patient after the job is all said and done. I truly believe that a bright eyed smile has the capacity to allow you to connect with others, without uttering a sound.
1. What does the underlined word “subsided”mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Appeared. | B．Weakened. | C．Increased. | D．Smiled. |
| A．Making people feel happy. |
| B．Making people act kindly. |
| C．Making brains work fast. |
| D．Curing some diseases. |
| A．He holds his head too high. |
| B．He looks down upon others. |
| C．He looks a little dishonest. |
| D．He is too confident. |
| A．A teacher. | B．A volunteer. | C．A scientist. | D．A doctor. |
5 . While enjoying my fresh lunch in a restaurant in Amsterdam, I noticed something odd. Customers coming in for something to eat ignored the person standing behind the counter (柜台), preferring to
What was the crazy thing about this? They were just several
Think about it for a moment. When was the last time you naturally
We shop,
| A．talk | B．call | C．order | D．deliver |
| A．meters | B．millimeters | C．kilometers | D．centimeters |
| A．chance | B．turn | C．look | D．test |
| A．spoken | B．written | C．typed | D．mentioned |
| A．efficient | B．enthusiastic | C．effective | D．energetic |
| A．ended up | B．engaged in | C．made up | D．went on |
| A．hear | B．believe | C．remember | D．understand |
| A．recording | B．studying | C．playing | D．calculating |
| A．idea | B．aim | C．problem | D．rise |
| A．cash | B．price | C．debt | D．tax |
| A．decorate | B．book | C．build | D．repair |
| A．Contact | B．Work | C．Quarrel | D．Reunion |
| A．interests | B．benefits | C．disadvantages | D．influences |
| A．unrealistic | B．unsuitable | C．unreasonable | D．unexpected |
| A．serves as | B．refers to | C．accounts for | D．consists of |
6 . My knees started shaking, yet my body froze. It felt as though my soul left my body and I had no
Tears filled my eyes. Just then, a group of students
Noticing my
I just shook my head and
After almost a year of
| A．sight | B．control | C．memory | D．record |
| A．angrily | B．indifferently | C．aimlessly | D．anxiously |
| A．unsure | B．unnecessary | C．unable | D．unwilling |
| A．crowded | B．pretended | C．hesitated | D．announced |
| A．regrets | B．confusion | C．sadness | D．excitement |
| A．talk | B．forget | C．worry | D．argue |
| A．heavily | B．bravely | C．quickly | D．smoothly |
| A．open | B．wild | C．blank | D．clear |
| A．irregular | B．unsuitable | C．irresponsible | D．unusual |
| A．treated | B．locked | C．relaxed | D．comforted |
| A．making sense | B．showing off | C．coming over | D．turning back |
| A．excuse | B．account | C．spot | D．comment |
| A．quit | B．earn | C．hide | D．share |
| A．museum | B．library | C．supermarket | D．gym |
| A．stuck to | B．focused on | C．cared about | D．admitted to |
| A．waiting | B．planning | C．practicing | D．learning |
| A．Regardless of | B．Thanks to | C．Apart from | D．According to |
| A．health | B．toughness | C．attitude | D．weakness |
| A．courage | B．patience | C．effort | D．confidence |
| A．shake | B．agree | C．fix | D．deal |
Long long ago, there was a little prince who was used to having everything he wanted. He was so badly behaved that he wouldn’t let anybody have a new toy if he didn’t have it first. If any child in the land wanted a new toy, they had to buy two and give one to him. Therefore, the little prince had no friends except for his toys.
One day a magic toymaker, who invented the most wonderful toys, came to the land. The little prince liked his toys so much that he invited him to spend an entire year in the palace, promising him great wealth if he made him a new toy every day. The toymaker set just one condition: “My toys are very special and need an owner who will play with them” he said. “Will you be able to devote a little time to each one every day?” “Of course, I will” the little prince replied impatiently.
From then on, every morning the little prince received a new toy. Every day the toymaker delivered a toy better than the previous ones. The little prince appeared very happy.
But the toy collection kept growing and, after a few weeks there were simply too many toys to play with all of them every day. So, one day the little prince put a few toys to one side, hoping that the toymaker wouldn’t notice. However, when it was night time and he was ready to go to bed. The toys that had been put away lined up in front of him and, one by one, demanded their daily playtime. The little prince couldn’t get to sleep until well past midnight because he had to play with every single toy.
Next day, tired after all his efforts, the prince slept very late. In the little time left of the day, he had to get to know a new toy and then play with all the others too. Once again, he finished very late and was so tired he could hardly stop yawning (打哈欠).
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Every day was a little bit worse than the one before, with the same amount of time but one extra toy to play with.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The children saw the prince, wondering whether the prince would force them to hand over their toys just like before.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8 . Why are you doing this? I often hear that or similar questions. Many people don’t understand why I like travelling by bicycle.
When I sit on the bike, I am free and flexible. I can stop at any time to eat or start the stove to enjoy a coffee with breathtaking views. I’m not dependent on bus or train.
I am in the nature the whole day. The wind blows across my face.
I could tell hundreds of stories. Because of getting to know so many people, I have experienced a lot. The travel form itself invites many to ask questions. And the best thing about it is that all these stories make me rich. I’m rich in memories, of which I always think with laughter.
| A．I listen to the birds singing. |
| B．And they think it’s so tiring. |
| C．It will change the way you see the world. |
| D．I can decide for myself when and where to go. |
| E．Before my start, I was fascinated by the bike touring community. |
| F．Nobody can ever take them away and they are of great value to me. |
| G．Compared to other travel forms, bike touring is one of the most affordable. |
I could hear one of my classmates expressing her impatience with my slow crawl up the ladder (梯子),“If she’s afraid of heights, why would she sign up for a Bungee Jumping (蹦极) class?” My friend was at the top of the ladder, trying to cheer me up. How did I wind up on a ladder hanging above the Hudson River?
It was my friend who invited me to the Bungee Jumping class. At first, I was doubtful, but her enthusiasm and guarantees of strict safety procedures won me over.
I had been fearful of heights since primary school. Avoiding my fear of heights became second nature. I tried not to look down at balconies or staircases. I avoided traveling by plane as much as possible. I declined invitations from friends to join them on roller coasters (过山车).
But here I was, at age twenty-six, facing my fear of heights in a rather extreme way. I had come around to the idea of trying Bungee Jumping. I figured it wasn’t much different from swinging on the monkey bars as a kid. The one obstacle I didn’t expect was the ladder. In order to reach the Bungee Jumping, I had to climb up a twenty-two-foot ladder.
My friend’s distraction techniques helped to take my mind off my dangerous task. I found a rhythm and kept going. With a slow and steady (稳定的) pace, I made it to the top.
An instructor tied me to a safety belt and told me to step to the edge of the platform. I held the Bungee Jumping bar with sweaty hands, surprised that it was too thick to fix my hand around. Instead of a firm grasp, my hands were in a weak, bear-claw position.
The cheers from my classmates rang out below. An instructor reminded me of the safety rules, including the net below that would catch me at the bottom. He reminded me to listen to the directions while in the air, so I could perform well.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I stood face to face with my fear of heights.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My second round of Bungee Jumping went a bit more smoothly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The medals don’t mean anything and the glory doesn’t last. It’s all about your happiness. The rewards are going to come but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.
—Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Today I am going to share my experience that is related to the quote that I just read. It all started last year when the drawing competition took place. I really wanted to win it and get the trophy(奖杯)of the best artist, so I started working really hard on my weak points in drawing and I started to plan on how I could win the trophy. I spent so many hours working on it that the time flew really fast.
Finally the big day came. I was so excited but nervous at the same time. I just hoped my plans would work to make me good enough to win the trophy and the competition.
I went to the hall where we had to draw. I saw my best friend so I waved to her and she waved back. When the drawing competition started, I drew what I needed to draw in the place and I was feeling very confident that I would finally get the trophy of the best artist.
Then came the day when they called out the winner. I was so confident to get the prize that I didn’t even bother to hear who was getting it because I knew I would be the one to get it. Then I heard my friend’s name being called and this shocked me so much.
How could she get it and not me? I congratulated her and went home making sure nobody saw how sad I was. I was happy for my friend but I was very disappointed at the same time, so I did something that I usually do when I am sad or disappointed—read a book.
注意：1．续写词数应为150个左右；2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I saw a book with some moral stories, which gave me a lot of inspiration.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After reading this story. I finally understood why I didn’t win the competition.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
