1 . Most people want to be successful, but never stop to think what it will really take to get there in their chosen field. If it means going back to college for 2 years of night school, could you do it ? If it means reading a book a week for about 6             months in order to really master a new skill ? If you aren’t prepared to do any of those things because they are outside of your comfort zone, then you can forget being successful. I guarantee you will never reach your goals in life, unless your             goals are to be ordinary.
The biggest killer by far is the dreaded “ comfort zone ” where most people live in their entire life. And the funny thing is that people just can’t wrap their heads around the fact that people who have reached some success get tons of time to just             relax, but only because they’ve earned it ! If you haven’t built a successful business, or in some way built a career that allow you so much freee time, then you are stuck in the grinding world of nine-to-five jobs everyone else. So how comfortable             is that ?
So what can you do about it ? Well, find a way to make something happen in your life--- build a business around your favourite hobby, write a book and publish it, or take a course in stock trading and become an expert at that, working on making enough             money to retire. If you don’t take massive action that puts your way of your comfort zone, you will never be successful at much of anything. I promise--- and I don’t make many promises !
Finding real happiness in life can be a mystery for many. That’s why I wrote The Road to Happiness for those who want real success and happiness in life, including spirituality and all the gifts life has to offer.
Don’t wander aimlessly through life. Get focused on your goals, start helping others in need, and live life to the fullest ! Life is too short to be anything but happy. Visit my website and find what you’ve been missing. Sign up for my newsletter             and get seven free ebooks, too ! Read hundreds of articles while you’re there in the article section, which is updated daily.
1. This text must be taken from __________.

A．a radio program	B．a website
C．a newspaper	D．a TV program

2. If you want to be successful in life, what should you do first ?

A．We should think what it really takes to be successful in our chosen field.

B．We should focus our full attention on the work in our chosen field.

C．We should live out of the “ comfort zone ” all through our life.

D．We should work together with other people to reach our goals in time.

3. According to this text, why do some people have so much free time to relax ?

A．Because they have enough money to do so.

B．Because they don’t want to be successful.

C．Because they have already earned it through hard work.

D．Because they only work nine to five every day.

4. The writer thinks it necessary for you to __________ if you want to be successful.

A．do a lot of actual wotk	B．write a book and publish it
C．take a course in stock trading	D．make enough money to retire

2 . 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1—20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
I was required to read one of Bernie Siegel’s books in college and was hooked on his positivity from that moment on. The stories of his unconventional _______ and the exceptional patients he wrote about were so_______to me and had such a big_______on how I saw life from then on. Who knew that so many years later I would look to Dr. Bernie and his CDs again to _______my own Cancer experience?
I’m an ambitious _______, and when I started going through chemo(化疗)，even though I’m a very _______ person, I lost my drive to write. I was just too tired and not in the _______. One day, while waiting to go in for _______, I had one of Dr. Bernie’s books in hand. Another patient _______what I was reading and struck up a conversation with me________he had one of his books with me as well. It________that among other things, he was an eighty-year-old writer. He was________a published author, and he was currently________on a new book.
We would see each other at various times and________friends. Sometimes he wore a duck hat, and I would tell myself, he was definitely a (n)________of Dr. Berline. He really put a _________on my face. He unfortunately ________last year due to his cancer, ________ he left a deep impression on me and gave me the ________ to pick up my pen again. I ________ to myself, “If he can do it, then so can I.”1.

A．ideas

B．tastes

C．notes

D．memories

2.

A．amazing

B．shocking

C．amusing

D．strange

3.

A．strike

B．push

C．challenge

D．impact

4.

A．learn from

B．get through

C．go over

D．refer to

5.

A．reader

B．writer

C．editor

D．doctor

6.

A．honest

B．agreeable

C．humorous

D．positive

7.

A．state

B．position

C．mood

D．way

8.

A．advice

B．reference

C．protection

D．treatment

9.

A．viewed

B．knew

C．noticed

D．wondered

10.

A．because

B．while

C．although

D．providing

11.

A．came out

B．turned out

C．proved out

D．worked out

12.

A．naturally

B．merely

C．hopefully

D．actually

13.

A．deciding

B．investing

C．relying

D．working

14.

A．became

B．helped

C．missed

D．visited

15.

A．patient

B．operator

C．fan

D．publisher

16.

A．smile

B．sign

C．mark

D．mask

17.

A．showed up

B．passed away

C．fell down

D．set off

18.

A．since

B．but

C．so

D．for

19.

A．guidance

B．trust

C．opportunity

D．inspiration

20.

A．promised

B．swore

C．replied

D．thought

3 . In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity (繁荣). Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which only values the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among those who are against competition are young people who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by them is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot.
Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to disappear can we discover a new meaning in competition.
1. What is the best title of this passage?

A．Competition! Why friends turn into enemies.

B．Competition! What self-respect depends on.

C．New meaning found in competition.

D．Two mistaken beliefs about competition.

2. Why do some young people suffering from competitive pressures seek failure?

A．Because they are aware that they will not succeed in competition.

B．Because they don’t think it worthwhile to compete with others.

C．Because they are afraid that they would not be valued if they lost.

D．Because they are fed up with the great efforts needed to compete with others.

3. Which of the following will the author probably agree with?

A．One should treat competition as a life-and-death affair.

B．One should make every endeavor to avoid competition.

C．One should get rid of the fear of failure in competition.

D．One should be given rewards after competing with others.

4. The true competitors and those with a desire to fail both believe _______.

A．one’s self-worth comes from how well he performs in comparison with others

B．one’s dream can be achieved if he has mastered good communication skills

C．one’s failure happens when he is suffering from emotional problems

D．one’s success is based on how hard he has tried

4 . My son, Sam, struggled through elementary school. But his sixth grade teacher took the time to ____ Sam’s strengths and inspired him to be a better student.
On Valentine’s Day, my eleven-year-old son Sam ____ me to allow him to buy his teacher an enormous red heart-shaped box filled with chocolates. We compromised，and he ____ her a smaller but respectably sized heart. On his small ____ , $4.99 was a huge investment, and I was touched by his ____ .
Sam has not always loved teachers. He doesn’t yet admit that he ____ school, but he does like to hang out in his classroom after three o’ clock, and he is ____ about some class projects.
Last year, Sam’s most memorable achievement was having the longest “missing assignment” list in the ____ fifth grade. He ____ all year to keep his head above the academic sea. Many nights Sam sank into tears of ____ while working his way through another pile of homework.
I must admit I was ____ when I first met Mrs. Hogan. She was a ____ teacher. She seemed so young and sweet and inexperienced. How was this new teacher going to ____ a boy who had feared school?
As Iobserved this teacher’s ____ with my son at the end of each day, I realized that Sam’s inattentiveness and disorganization were not the ____ things that Mrs. Hogan noticed. She recognized Sam as a knowledgeable, capable student who loved to read. He managed to meet her ____.
Sam began to do his homework without numerous reminders ____ a major search through his crowded backpack. He brought home less and less class work. He ____ six A’s on his second-quarter report card.
I ____ don’t know how much of this miracle is due to the magic of Mrs. Hogan. I do know that my son loves his sixth grade teacher, and I think there is a ____ in relationships that can inspire children when nothing else can.1.

A．improve

B．encourage

C．push

D．drive

2.

A．advised

B．promised

C．allowed

D．begged

3.

A．bought

B．agreed

C．rejected

D．met

4.

A．standard

B．Age

C．budget

D．basis

5.

A．will

B．cleverness

C．generosity

D．bravery

6.

A．likes

B．hates

C．attends

D．misses

7.

A．annoyed

B．excited

C．surprised

D．worried

8.

A．remarkable

B．favorable

C．honorable

D．entire

9.

A．struggled

B．intended

C．failed

D．continued

10.

A．regret

B．surprise

C．frustration

D．pleasure

11.

A．interested

B．concerned

C．moved

D．wrong

12.

A．working

B．caring

C．rising

D．beginning

13.

A．lift up

B．stay up

C．sit up

D．get up

14.

A．cooperation

B．relationship

C．interaction

D．discussion

15.

A．precious

B．interesting

C．obvious

D．primary

16.

A．questions

B．requests

C．demands

D．expectations

17.

A．although

B．or

C．if

D．so

18.

A．marked

B．accepted

C．earned

D．left

19.

A．clearly

B．strongly

C．yet

D．still

20.

A．mass

B．magic

C．handwriting

D．plan

5 . Most people agree that it’s important to have a sense of humour. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humour appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humour is good for you. Humourless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset.
A sense of humour also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humour. People with developmental disabilities (发展性能力丧失) can sometimes have no sense of humour, or have a very strange one.
A number of factors affect a person’s sense of humour, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic (讽刺的) events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one’s sense of humour. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful.
Many people believe that a sense of humour is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to____one’s sense of humour. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children’s jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humour.
1. The purpose of the passage is to _______.

A．explain what influences a person’s sense of humour

B．tell readers the importance of being healthy

C．explain how to make better decisions

D．tell readers how to understand jokes

2. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 "enhance" probably mean?

A．Enjoy.

B．Reduce.

C．Improve.

D．Prevent.

3. According to the passage, which of the following doesn’t influence one’s sense of humour?

A．Culture.	B．Age.
C．Educational level.	D．Family backgrounds.

6 . Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure？Riding the train can be a real adventure. That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak. I often take a four-hour trip to visit my children. Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.
Last week when I was on the train, there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation—in another language. It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train. I think it was annoying.
Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two-day trip by train. She said her two daughters were worried at the thought of driving for three days to reach her home, although she had no trouble driving. The train ride was the only choice for her. She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.
She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents. That is a very good question. Both of us are old and have children. She asked that same question from time to time.
There are always many people on the train from all walks of life, different countries, and many languages. Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and learn all kinds of cultures. If you get hungry, you can buy food in the food car at any time. If you need to use the restroom, there is always one for you.
It surely beats driving the car, which has to stop for food and restrooms. And it is better than taking the bus.
1. According to the passage, the purpose of the author’s train ride was ______.

A．to do business	B．to see her children
C．to visit places of interest	D．to see her old friends

2. In the author’s opinion, on the train Amtrak ______.

A．the services are quite good	B．the food is terribly expensive
C．all the passengers are polite	D．all the passengers are American

3. What is the best title for this passage?

A．A painful experience on the train	B．A wonderful lady
C．Train ride—a cultural experience	D．The history of Amtrak

7 . It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband， had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike， a black Kona 18 speed， was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work， putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货)， saving us from having to walk along long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性) as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1. Why was the bike so important to the couple？

A．They used it for work and daily life.

B．It was their only possession(财产).

C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed.

D．The man‘s job was bike racing.

2. We can infer from the passage that __________.

A．the couple worked 60 hours a week

B．people were busy before Christmas

C．the stranger brought over the bike

D．life was hard for the young family

3. How did people get to know the couple’s problem？

A．From a stranger.

B．From a newspaper.

C．From TV news

D．From radio broadcasts.

4. What do the couple learn from their experience？

A．Strangers are usually of little help.

B．One should take care of their bike.

C．News reports make people famous.

D．An act of kindness can mean a lot.

5. From this story, we can see humanity is __________.

A．selfish

B．commercial

C．kind

D．cold-hearted

8 . A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended．In a natural reflex (反应), I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office.
In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility (谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．
The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．at the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer．
In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见)．I remember a time, at age 17 — I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．
But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．
1. We can learn from the first two paragraphs that________________________________．

A．the author regretted his act of prejudice

B．the blind woman needed the money badly

C．the author was as poor as the blind woman

D．the author was a native American

2. According to Paragraph 4, hearing the father’s words, the author was probably________．

A．rather hurt

B．very excited

C．deeply moved

D．greatly inspired

3. According to the passage, the author probably agrees that one should_______________．

A．be nice to the elderly and the disabled

B．try to experience different kinds of life

C．treat others equally with love and respect

D．think about one’s past as often as possible

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Learn from Your Past	B．How My Dream Comes True
C．A Belief That Will Never Change	D．A Priceless Lesson in the Street

9 . While success is surely sweeter than failure, it seems failure is a far better teacher, and organizations that fail miserably often flourish (繁荣) more in the long run, according to a new study by Vinit Desai, assistant professor of management at the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Researchers have found that people missing their goals perform much better in the long run. That is because they gain more knowledge from their failures than their successes and the lessons are more likely to stay longer in their minds.
“We found that the knowledge gained from success was often fleeting while knowledge from failure stuck around for years,” said professor Desai, who led the study. “But companies often ignore failure. Managers may fire people or turn over the whole workforce while they should treat the failure as a learning opportunity.”
Prof Desai compared the flights of the space shuttle Atlantis and the Challenger. During the Atlantis flight last year, a piece of insulation (绝缘体) broke off and damaged the left solid rocket booster (助推火箭) but didn’t influence the program. There was little investigation. The Challenger was launched next and another piece of insulation broke off. This time the shuttle and its seven–person crew were destroyed. The disaster led to a major investigation resulting in 29 changes to prevent future disasters.
The difference in response in the two cases came down to this: Atlantis was considered a success and the Challenger a failure.
“Despite crowded skies, airlines are extremely reliable,” he said. “The number of failures is extremely small. And past researches have shown that older airlines, those with more experience in failure, have a lower number of accidents.”
Prof Desai doesn’t recommend finding out failure in order to learn. Instead, he advises organizations to analyze small failures to collect useful information rather than wait for major failures.
1. Why did experts pay little attention to the problem of Atlantis?

A．Because it worked perfectly.

B．Because the right booster was still OK.

C．Because nothing serious happened then.

D．Because fewer people died in the flight.

2. Fewer accidents happen to older airlines in that ________.

A．their planes couldn’t fly high in the sky

B．they gained much from experience in failure

C．their planes were often checked by the experts

D．they were unpopular among passengers

3. The passage is written mainly to ________.

A．show failure is a better teacher than success

B．explain why Challenger failed

C．introduce something about Prof Desai

D．tell managers how to achieve success

4. Which writing strategy is NOT used in developing the passage?

A．Giving definitions.

B．Making comparisons.

C．Analyzing causes.

D．Providing different examples.

10 . Last year,around Labor Day,I read a “Happy Ad” in our local newspaper.There was a lady in a local nursing home,who was celebrating her 90th birthday and her family wanted everyone to know about it.It said that if you wanted to drop her a line,here was her address.So I did.I found a birthday card and dropped her a short note,wishing her a happy birthday.

A week or so later,someone knocked at my front door.I opened the door and found a middle-aged man standing on my doorstep.He introduced himself as the son of this woman to whom I had sent the card.He explained that he just wanted to drop by in person and thank me for sending such a nice card to his mom.Apparently,like many older folks,she did not receive much mail and was quite excited to receive mine.I just didn’t know what to say.I told him it was my pleasure and that I hoped his mom had enjoyed her birthday.

That year,I did not send out any Christmas cards,except to this lovely old lady in the nursing home.I just told her that I was thinking about her and hoped that she had a nice holiday.I sent her a Valentine and also a couple of notes in between.I just thought she might like to have someone write to her,to get some mail.

She passed away a couple of months ago.I never met this lady,but I did keep her and her family in my thoughts. I dropped them a line of sympathy.I hope that my few little notes were enough to brighten a couple of her days here on earth.

1. The old lady's address was given because      .

A．her family wanted to make her well-known

B．the old lady wanted to receive a birthday card

C．the son of the old lady wanted to meet the author

D．her family wanted to give her a happy birthday

2. Which of the following best describes the author?

A．Brave.	B．Polite.
C．Caring.	D．Faithful.

3. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．A Kind Act	B．An Old Lady
C．A Happy Ad	D．A Considerate Son