I was the fool at school, regarded as a special needs student. I was termed as such, obviously, because I was not interested in school and did not care for my _______.
Over time, I started to believe in my stupidity. I _______ the fact that I was in special needs classes and poured it out as anger and depression. But one activity _______ this view of myself chess.
I started to play chess with my father after school simply because I wanted to _______ him at something. My father was a _________ man, fond of physics, writing, religion…, almost every _______. He was called a walking dictionary. So, winning in chess against my father would be a _______ that I had intellectual power. On the small chessboard, I had a chance to _______ my so-called inability.
Game after game, I wanted to beat my father even more. I started to study chess books and play against a chess computer to _______ my skills. One weekend, I finally checkmated(将杀) my father on a ferry ride, which made me feel ________.
Two years later, I became the second board on my school chess team, with our top board being the best high school player in the state. But before the tournament season, our top player ________ to come. There came my chance to play as top board against the best players in other states.
I was determined to show who I had become: a(n) ________ person able to win with calculation, logic and will. My most ________ game came in the final round. Our team was facing a high school which only excellent students attended. It was ________ a match between a special needs student and a smart soul. My opponent(对手) was playing well and kept ________ while I kept defending to keep my king safe. He spent long trying to break down my defenses, but could not find the final push. I ________ with more defensive moves, trying to make it as difficult for him as possible. With little ________ left, he started to make rapid moves. ________ he could make the final decision, he ran out of time. Honestly, as his clock flag fell, I jumped up out of my seat and kissed the floor out of excitement. Of course it was not the most sportsmen—like ________, but I could not control my emotions.
While holding my winner’s cup, I knew I was not ________. The inferiority complex (自卑感) had melted away, and I realized that underneath our thoughts, each person is a genius.
1.A.habits B.grades C.plans D.benefits
2.A.noticed B.explained C.accepted D.ignored
3.A.changed B.supported C.questioned D.showed
4.A.please B.comfort C.beat D.disturb
5.A.smart B.strict C.quiet D.strong
6.A.method B.topic C.event D.field
7.A.dream B.lesson C.theory D.sign
8.A.prove B.expose C.overcome D.promote
9.A.teach B.sharpen C.choose D.invent
10.A.overjoyed B.disappointed C.puzzled D.interested
11.A.promised B.managed C.happened D.failed
12.A.brave B.lucky C.active D.intelligent
13.A.terrible B.memorable C.dangerous D.popular
14.A.normally B.possibly C.actually D.partly
15.A.attacking B.smiling C.pausing D.escaping
16.A.returned B.quit C.won D.exchanged
17.A.patience B.time C.energy D.wisdom
18.A.Once B.Until C.Before D.Unless
19.A.spirit B.thought C.comment D.behavior
20.A.proud B.stupid C.bright D.lazy
How to Become a Top Student
Successful students use different techniques(技巧)to study，which brings them more success.1.Here are the four techniques almost all topper forming students use.
They are regular. Almost all successful students study regularly，because they know “what you give is what you get”．If you put in regular hours of studying，then you will learn more and get better grades.2.This will help you to study regularly.
They have clear goals. All topper forming students have definite，specific goals.3.They motivate(激发)you and drive you to study more. But make sure that you do not get carried away. Set realistic goals which can challenge(挑战)you，but do not seem impossible or too difficult to achieve.
They study without pressure(压力)．Successful students study a lot. But they study without putting strain on themselves. Most students make the mistake of studying too hard or studying continuously for a long time.4.Studying should be done in a balanced manner. Take a break for a few minutes，after studying for 30 or 45 minutes. Relax，walk around your room or house，or drink some water and return to studying. Such short breaks will refresh your brain and you will learn more.
5.Studying is not something you do just because your parents ask you to do it. It's actually very important for you. Studying gives you knowledge and skills that will remain with you for the rest of your life. It gives you the ability to get a job and earn money. And successful students recognize the value of studying well.
A. This creates tension and actually slows down learning and memory.
B．But to score grade A in English，you should make well planned efforts.
C．Set aside some hours，each day or each week，for studying.
D．Having such goals gives you a purpose to study better.
E．Learn their techniques，and you will also join their rank.
F．They finish their homework on time.
G．They give importance to study.
Scientists, psychologists and English academics at Liverpool University have found that reading the works of the classical writers like Shakespeare and Wordsworth has a great effect on the mind, catches the reader’s attention and triggers moments of self-examination.
Using a special machine, they monitored the brain activity of 30 volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S. Eliot and others.
In the first part of the research, the brain activity of 30 volunteers was monitored as they read passages from Shakespeare’s plays, including King Lear, Othello, Coriolanus and Macbeth, and again as they read the text rewritten in a simpler form or modern language.
While reading the common texts, normal levels of electrical activity were shown in their brains. When they read the works of Shakespeare, however, the levels of activity jumped because of his use of words which were unfamiliar to them. The result of the test showed that the more challenging passages cause a greater degree of electrical activity in the brain than the common ones.
Scientists went on to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and recorded how it lit up as the readers came across unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentences in the classical works. As a result, this lightening up process of the mind lasted longer than that when volunteers read common texts, encouraging further reading.
The research also found that reading poetry especially increases activity in the right hemisphere(半球) of the brain, an area connected with “autobiographical memory”, driving the readers to think carefully about their own experiences based on what they have read. The academics said this meant the classical works of literature are more useful than self-help books.
Philip Davis, an English professor who has worked on the study in the university’s magnetic resonance center, announced this week: “Classical literature acts like a rocket-booster（火箭加速器） to the brain, which provides extra power for the brain. You may never imagine how powerful it is. The research shows such kind of literature can create new thoughts and connections in the young and the old.”
1.The underlined word “trigger” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “______”.
A.depends on B.picks up
C.sets off D.changes into
2.Which of the following is NOT true about reading classical literature?
A.It makes readers’ brain more active than reading common texts.
B.It makes readers’ electrical activity of brain return to normal.
C.It’s helpful for readers to come up with new ideas.
D.It’s an activity that is suitable for people of all ages.
3.From the research, we can learn that ______.
A.the readers prefer Shakespeare’s works to the other writers’ works
B.the words of classical works make it hard for volunteers to read further
C.reading classical works produces a good and long-lasting effect on the mind
D.poetry increases left-brain activity more than other literary forms
4.What does the author mainly tell us in this passage?
A.Shakespeare’s plays deserve to be read.
B.Common books are unpopular anymore.
C.Poetry is best for developing people’s brain.
D.Classical works help the brain develop better.
In colleges around the country, most students are also workers.
The reality of college can be pretty different from the images presented in movies and television. Instead of the students who wake up late, party all the time, and study only before exams, many colleges are full of students with pressing schedules of not just classes and activities, but real jobs, too.
This isn’t a temporary phenomenon. The share of working students has been on the rise since the 1970s, and one-fifth of students work year round. About one-quarter of those who work while attending school have both a full-course load and a full-time job. The arrangement can help pay for tuition (学费) and living costs, obviously. And there’s value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on.
But it’s not all upside. Even full-time work may not completely cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. The study notes that if a student worked a full-time job at the federal minimum wage, they would earn just over $15,000 each year, certainly not enough to pay for tuition, room, and board at many colleges without some serious financial aid. That means that though they’re sacrificing time away from the classroom, many working students will still graduate with at least some debt. And working full time can reduce the chance that students will graduate at all, by cutting into the time available for studying and attending classes.
There is little reward for attending but not finishing college. Students who end up leaving school because of difficulty in managing work and class are likely to find themselves stuck in some of the same jobs they might have gotten if they hadn’t gone at all. The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits.
1.According to the passage, the reality of college students is that ________.
A. they throw parties a lot B. they stay up late every night
C. they work besides attending classes D. they pay no attention to exams
2.What is the indirect cause of an increasing number of working students?
A. The need of developing social networks.
B. The lack of summer jobs for young adults.
C. The chance of finding a job after graduation.
D. The expenses of high tuition and living costs.
3.We can learn from the passage that _________.
A. working students are more likely to finish college
B. students can cover their college expenses through working
C. students receive a huge reward for managing work and class
D. working while attending school may not help students get career benefits
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Difficulties of Landing a Job
B. The Struggle of Work-School Balance
C. The Reward of Working While Studying
D. The Images of Working College Students
The morning after an evening struggle to care for my three-year-old daughter, I couldn’t wait to get her to school. I, as a mother, was tired from the anger and her inability to communicate because of her slowed language development.
As I accompanied her into the car, I felt desperate. Nothing was right with our world. She’d been born around the same time when the nation was witnessing the birth of another Great Recession. My job and my house had been victims. Then this happened. My child’s language delay was identified, but doctors struggled to properly help her, I felt like we both needed to he rescued.
I returned that afternoon as disenchanted with the little girl I loved as when I left. Walking slowly toward the school’s playground gate, I found her preschool teacher racing to greet me.
“You should have seen her today!” His breathy words were supported by excitement. I didn’t interrupt. “See that climber. ” He pointed to a wooden piece of playground equipment that looked like a rock wall. I nodded. “Well, every day since she started school, she’s tried and failed to make it to the top. ” He took a breath. “And today she did it!”
He expressed his joy just as he’d witnessed her conquering Mount Everest! “She cheered and celebrated! I wish I’d recorded it!” His words comforted me. My daughter had conquered her mountain.
As she ran toward me, I recognized something I hadn’t before. I saw her perseverance(毅力). I saw her strength. I saw a Hero.
Everyday greatness celebrates ordinary people who do unusual things in big and small ways, showing courage, kindness, love and selflessness. We encourage you to click these brief accounts and invite you to share your own story.
1.Why did the author rush her daughter to school?
A.She was busy with her work as a doctor.
B.She had a fight with her daughter last night.
C.She broke down when dealing with her daughter.
D.She had to sell their house due to Great Recession.
2.Which of the following best explains “disenchanted” underlined in paragraph 3?
A.Happy. B.Concerned.
C.Careful. D.Disappointed.
3.Why did the little girl’s preschool teacher feel excited?
A.She succeeded in standing on Mount Everest.
B.She managed to climb up the wooden equipment.
C.She got the first place in the school sports meet.
D.She began to communicate with others normally.
4.From which is the text most probably taken?
A.The radio. B.A magazine.
C.A newspaper. D.The Internet.
Smart Home Products for Living a Connected Life
What makes something a smart home product? Generally, it’s defined by its ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network, allowing users to interact（互动）with it from their smartphones.We’ve rounded up some cool, diverse offerings that you’ll love to have in your home.
Nest Cam IQ
walmart.com
$299.00
The Nest Cam IQ is a beautifully designed home security camera that can recognize faces. It can warn you if there’s a stranger in your home. The device also supports two-way communication via built-in microphones and a powerful speaker.
Logitech Harmony Elite
amazon.com
$249.99
The Logitech Harmony Elite is one of the best universal remote controls available on the market. It can control just about every piece of electronics you own（it supports over 270，000 devices！）in every room of your house or apartment, including TVs，streaming devices, and sound systems.
Apple HomePod
bhphotovideo.com
$349.00
The Apple HomePod has better audio quality than any other smart speaker available today. Available in white or space gray, the Siri-powered device also allows you to control a number of devices with your voice.
August Smart Lock Pro
amazon.com
$279.99
The August Smart Lock Pro is compatible（兼容的）with most locks. A mobile app allows you to manage access to the lock, check its usage history, and get informed when someone opens the door. You can control it and check on the state of your door with voice commands.
1.What can the Nest Cam IQ help you do？
A.Properly use your smartphone camera
B.Control electronics with your voice.
C.Check the locks of your house.
D.Keep your home safe.
2.Which device can help you operate almost all your electronic equipment remotely？
A.Nest Cam IQ.
B.Apple HomePod.
C.August Smart Lock Pro.
D.Logitech Harmony Elite.
3.Which column of a website is the text most probably taken from？
A.Technology.
B.News.
C.Society.
D.Education.
