Linda Spelman was a lawyer who found a new job in a circus. She now works as a trapeze artist, travelling with the circus around the world. Here is an interview with her.
How did you get the job? My father’s a lawyer, so I thought I’d become one, too. Studying law was really hard work.1. When I finally passed my exams, I thought, “I need a break. I want to travel and learn a language.” So I joined a circus. I went to Canada and did a trapeze course and, amazingly, I was good at it.
2. The excitement and the travel. I always wanted to travel and learn languages and I’ve done all of that. Also, I get on really well with circus people. I’ve learned so much about life from them.
Have you made any sacrifices to do this job? No, I haven’t, not really.3. I do miss my family sometimes, but that’s all.
What would you like to do next? I’m 34 now.4. There are Russian trapeze artists still going strong in their fifties.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to do your job? 5. But generally, I’d say to anyone with a dream, “Go for it! You only live once, so why stay in a boring job?”
A.What do you like most about it?
B.What’s your daily life like?
C.We often do the act in the evening.
D.You need to be fit and strong and have a good head for heights.
E.I’d like to carry on doing this until I’m at least 50.
F.So I took up gymnastics in the evenings to help me relax.
G.I gave up doing something that I hated and I’m doing something that I love.
Samuel L. Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, started off his writing career (事业) in 1865 with his big hit story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County — a story-within- a-story told to a listener by an old California miner. From that day on, the works of the great humorist always had different animals.
Some members of Twain’s literary (文学的) animals were based on real animals, such as the Clemens family’s named pet cats. Some were imaginary, like that celebrated jumping frog.
As a boy in Missouri, he got pleasure from knowing the animals of the woods; in old age, he felt a deep relationship with the animals large and small that he met in his travels. His cats, family dog, horses, donkeys, and calf also won his three daughters’ love at their Hartford home. On March 22, 2018, to mark this part of Twain’s personal life, The Mark Twain House & Museum opened a new exhibition (展览), Tails of Twain: How Animals Shaped the Man & His Work. The exhibition was rich with exhibits from the museum’s collections.
The king of the animals in Twain’s world was the cat, “the only creature in heaven or earth or anywhere that don’t have to obey (听从) somebody or other, including the angels.” He was known to be the proud pet parent of 19 cats during his childhood. As an adult, the Clemens home always had a named cat. Even on vacation, the Clemens family borrowed cats from locals to live with them. Dogs were considered second-class pets, but Twain liked them. Twain once wrote an ode (颂诗) to his dead dog Burns: “She lived a quiet harmless life in Hartford ...”
In true Twainism, humans were not as loved as the “Higher Animals”. Even the most low- down animal, however, was superior in Twain’s eyes to “the human race.” After all, he did write once “Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel.”
1.What can we learn about The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County?
A.It tells a story of Twain’s family pet.
B.It was written for Twain’s three daughters.
C.It made Twain pay attention to animals.
D.It was Twain’s first great success as a writer.
2.What’s the main purpose of the new exhibition?
A.To introduce how Twain spent his childhood.
B.To exhibit some of Twain’s best-sellers.
C.To show Twain’s different hobbies.
D.To show Twain’s love for animals.
3.What does the underlined word “superior” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A.richer B.better
C.quieter D.stronger
How do successful people think? What drives them? Interviews and investigations indicate that there are several keys to success that successful people share.
First of all, successful people never blame someone or something outside of themselves for their failure to go ahead. They realize that their failure lies in their own hands. They understand that they cannot control things in life, such as nature, the past and other people. But in the meantime, they are well aware that they can control their own thoughts and actions. They take responsibility for their life and regard this as one of the most empowering things they can do. Perhaps what most separate successful people from others is that they live life “on purpose”—they are doing what they believe they are put here to do. In their opinion, having a purpose in their life is the most important element that enables them to become fully functioning people. They hold that when they live their life on purpose, their main concern is to do the job right. They love what they do-and it shows. People want to do business with them because of their commitment. To live their life on purpose, successful people find a cause they believe in and create a business around it. Besides, they never easily give up. Once they have set up goals in their life, they’re willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Top achievers always bear in mind that they don’t have forever.
Rather than seeing it negative or depressing, they use the knowledge to support themselves and go after what they want energetically and passionately.
1.Successful people owe their failure to _______.
A.others B.the society C.themselves D.their fate
2.The biggest difference between successful people and general people is that _______.
A.successful people have a purpose in life B.successful people can work hard
C.successful people have better minds D.successful people can always win support
3.People like to do business with successful people because of their _______.
A.money B.cleverness C.fame D.devotion to work
4.The writer wants to tell us _______.
A.how people live on purpose B.how people can be successful
C.how people make plans D.how people do business
I can’t remember a time when my bedroom didn’t have a bookshelf. From Dr. Suess to Mother Goose, I had all kinds of books that progressed in size as I got older.
My earliest memory of books was sitting on my bed at night with my mom reading to my older brother and me from C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, or Madeleine L’Engle. And my first beloved book that was all mine was a children’s book about being a chosen child. As an adopted (收养的) child, this book helped me learn that my family was my very own because they chose me. As I got older, the books got thicker and more difficult. The first set of books I ever bought with my own money was L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables.
When in elementary school, there was a book catalog ( 目录) that would come out. We could take it home and have our parents help us order new books. Then the books would be sent to the school. There was nothing better than getting my little bag of books.
My love for science fiction was deepened by my older brother’s love for it. Beyond being the person to introduce me to Star Trek and Doctor Who, it was his copy of The Sword of Shannaraby Terry Brooks that got me really interested in science fiction.
I read classics in high school. The first time I had the thought that I wanted to be a writer was after reading Edgar Allan Poe’s work. And his use of words floored me. I remember using his word “phantasmagorical” for a senior paper. Yeah, it’s no wonder I ended up an English major and English teacher passing on my love for the written word and the books students could hold in their hands.
1.What was the author’s earliest memory of books?
A.She read some classics by herself.
B.She was thirsty for children’s books.
C.She was often read to by her mother.
D.She borrowed books from her brother.
2.What happened after the author read her first favorite book?
A.She loved her family much more.
B.She hoped to have her own home.
C.She planned to read more books.
D.She found that she was adopted.
3.How did the author feel after getting some books on the book catalog?
A.lucky. B.excited. C.surprised. D.disappointed.
4.How did the author become interested in science fiction?
A.By reading Star Trek with her brother.
B.By being introduced to Doctor Who.
C.By talking about it with her brother.
D.By reading The Sword of Shannara.
The Most Scenic Drives in America
Updated and translated into several languages for the first time since 1997, this travel book includes over 200 brand new photographs of the wonderful places along 120 selected routes. The updated volume also provides maps, the latest information state parks, and lodging suggestions.
Cover Price: $47.88 Price: $23.88
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Our Brother's Keeper
Author Jedwin Smith spent 30 years trying to get out of all memories of his brother，Jeff, who was killed in Vietnam. But in Our Brother's Keeper he tells what happens when he met several of his brother's old Marine friends. Smith gets to know these men—all hurt by the past they share. Together the author and his new friends make a journey to Vietnam, to visit the place where Jeff died. Surprisingly, their Vietnamese guide was the former commander of the Viet Cong platoon carrying out the attack that killed Jeff. A powerful story of brotherhood, bravery and understanding...
Cover Price : $ 59.40 Price : $ 10.00
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I Am a Pencil
Children's book author Sam Swope took a job teaching writing to third graders in the New York City. His students were immigrants or the children of immigrants from 21 countries, speaking 11 languages, having many different beliefs. But there were a few things they had in common, family troubles, for one, money struggles, and poetry. Every single student, with the help of this creative teacher, made great progress in writing. Swope leaves the reader with the encouraging faith that deep within each of us lives a poet, a genius —a child.
Cover Price:$59.88 Prices $19.95
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What It Takes to Help Out
An editor for U. S. News & World Report, David L Marcus lakes us inside a boarding school for troubled teens. The great stresses are put on these teens, which makes them lose their nature. This should cause us a truthful thinking.
Cover Price: $35.86 Price: $15.00
You Save: $20.86 ( 58%)
1.Who can give you some advice on how to educate immigrant students with troubles?
A.Jedwin Smith. B.David L. Marcus. C.Jeff. D.Sam Swope.
2.Which of the following books offers the biggest price cut?
A.The Most Scenic Drives in America B.Our Brother's Keeper
C.I Am a Pencil D.What It Takes to Help Me Out
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The book The Most Scenic Drives in America includes many pictures and maps.
B.The book What It Takes to Help Me Out is about troubled teens from 21 countries.
C.Jedwin Smith's friends were killed in the war in Vietnam.
D.The children in Sam Swope's class are either poets or geniuses.
4.The passage is probably taken from _______.
A.a textbook B.a science report C.a travel journal D.an advertisement
I was riding the train home from a downtown Chicago courtroom (法庭). I was sitting in my seat, in tears (眼泪), looking out of the window, hoping no one would _______. My husband and I had just ended our marriage, and my heart was filled with _______. I had never felt so frightened and alone.
_______, a hand appeared — the tiny beautiful hand of a woman. She _______ me a small envelope (信封), then smiled and disappeared before I could even look into her eyes and express my _______. On the outside of the envelope were a rainbow (彩虹) and a sun, drawn _______ in pen. Inside it were the _______ words I had ever read:
I know you don’t _______ me, but I was watching you there _______, and my heart goes out to you. Know that __________ I am only a stranger to you, I feel your pain and I __________. It may not seem that way, but the sun will __________ again and you will see the rainbow.
Love,
Someone who cares
I never saw the __________ again. But sill, this mysterious __________ has remained deep inside my heart. It always tells me that we are never __________. In reaching out to me in my __________, this woman filled me with a __________ love. It makes me realize that no matter how sad my life seems there is always __________. And more important, her act of __________ woke me up to the amazing connection between human beings. I know now if I take one minute, one second, to stop and show love and care to others who may be hurting, I can make a(n) __________.
1.A.notice B.answer C.follow D.understand
2.A.excitement B.sadness C.love D.doubt
3.A.Certainly B.Naturally C.Suddenly D.Secretly
4.A.gave B.lent C.bought D.made
5.A.support B.fear C.regrets D.thanks
6.A.carelessly B.hurriedly C.badly D.repeatedly
7.A.wisest B.simplest C.clearest D.warmest
8.A.like B.know C.accept D.remember
9.A.sleeping B.drawing C.crying D.laughing
10.A.because B.if C.unless D.though
11.A.care B.fail C.stop D.look
12.A.set B.move C.shine D.disappear
13.A.woman B.man C.train D.book
14.A.art B.gift C.chance D.story
15.A.poor B.stupid C.quiet D.alone
16.A.danger B.pain C.tiredness D.anger
17.A.great B.strange C.crazy D.similar
18.A.hope B.success C.pleasure D.luck
19.A.kindness B.courage C.politeness D.patience
20.A.decision B.offer C.difference D.promise
