Some people would go through anything just to achieve their dream. Kasia Siwosz is proof. For the final year student on the university women’s tennis team, the road to Berkeley, University of California was met with poor advice and misinformation from her home country and two unsuccessful stops along the way that fell short of expectations.
Born in Poland, Siwosz began playing tennis at seven years old and developed the skills that helped her earn a top-50 ranking among the ITF Junior division (国际网球联会青少年赛).. Siwosz wanted to do more with her life than just play tennis, which led her to seek chances that would also allow her to obtain a top education. While most who grow up in the U.S. are naturally accustomed to the American tradition of collegiate (大学的) sports, such a custom is not as familiar in a country like Poland. “There’s no collegiate sports in Poland and no culture of sports and academic (学术的) study there. You can only do one, not both,” Siwosz said.
Her desire to have a quality education led her to America to follow her dream. While Siwosz was talented enough to begin her collegiate tennis career, she could only attend community college because she missed the deadline to apply to four-year schools, mainly due to misinformation provided in her home country of Poland.
When she had earned all her credits and was able to transfer (转学), Siwosz made the decision to attend Baylor in Texas. Her friends from Poland put in a good word for the university, saying that it was a good fit because there were many international players at Baylor. “I thought it would be a good idea, but it really wasn’t what I thought it would be,” Siwosz said. “I wasn’t happy at Baylor. The level of tennis was high, but the academic standards were no match and I just wanted more.”
After one year at Baylor, Siwosz’s luck finally began to change when she made the decision to transfer to Berkeley, which was due in large part to Lee, a former Berkeley student. Lee, who is a keen tennis player himself, met Siwosz four years ago in Texas. “I knew she was unhappy there,” he said. “I saw the opportunity for her to come here.” Siwosz visited Lee in Berkeley. “I ended up loving this place and this school,” Siwosz said. “I came here a lot over the summer, I gave it a shot and I ended up with a Berkeley education and a spot on one of the best college tennis teams in the country.”
1.What does “two unsuccessful stops” (Paragraph 1) refer to?
A. Poland and the U.S.
B. Baylor and Berkeley.
C. The community college and Baylor.
D. The ITF Junior division and the Berkeley tennis team.
2. Why did Siwosz want to leave her homeland for America?
A. Poland had no culture of sports.
B. Berkeley had always been her dream university.
C. She wanted to play tennis and have a good education.
D. She wanted to improve her tennis skills and get a higher ranking.
3. Why did she leave Baylor?
A. The level of tennis there was not high.
B. It was not suitable for international students.
C. She couldn’t get along with her friends there.
D. She was not satisfied with the education level there.
4. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. How Siwosz left Poland.
B. How Siwosz realized her dream.
C. How Siwosz became a top tennis player.
D. How Siwosz transferred from Baylor to Berkeley.
1) Your teens don’t want you to be their friends. What they need is for you to be a reliable responsible role model worthy of their respect, and not some overgrown child who wears too tight jeans or T-shirts with slogans advocating the good points of 100 proof liquor.
2) Don’t debate the teen ever. If she wants to debate, suggest she sign up for the Debate Club. If you buy into their teen logic (which is basically illogic, the product of an immature brain and every extreme of emotion known to mankind) your mouth will go dry. Teens need to know that no means no. Remember when your teen was two years old and he said “no” a lot? Well now it’s your turn, particularly when your teen wants to engage in behaviors that are dangerous.
3) Don’t buy your teen a car. If you do, he will total it in record time. Guaranteed. The teen should earn the car, or at least a portion of it (and by that I don’t mean one of the tires). You know how you take much better care of an item of clothing you spent a fortune on compared to one you bought in a bargain basement? It’s the same thing, only a car can do serious damage.
4) Encourage sports participation even if your teen has two left feet. In some sports, two left feet won’t knock him out of the box, so to speak. Sports participation develops perseverance and cheerfully functioning as a team member. You also will know where your child is every day after school (on the field, that is, or at a rival school). Just make sure you root for the right team, okay? Been there, done that.
5) Let the school know you in a good way so that school personnel do not dive under the desk when you approach. If you are asked to speak at the school, your teen will feel mighty proud. If you make something for the bake sale, try to make it taste edible and if you can’t see it through, do yourself and your child a favor and buy something at the local bakery or supermarket.
6) To know your teens’ friends is to know your teens. Teens have a secret life, and a parent’s goal is to find out secrecy that is sometimes thicker than the CIA and the KGB combined. If you really want to know what your kid is up to, get to know their friends. How? By being warm and kind, and by asking questions that don’t sound like an interrogation（审讯）, but serve that purpose without their knowing it.
1. When your kids are doing something that might negatively affect their future, you should _____.
A. have your kids express their opinions fully and then discuss with them
B. think about how you can be their close friends
C. report that to their school immediately
D. say no and tell them that they must stop
2. According to the passage, as a parent, you should encourage your kids __________.
A. to wear too tight jeans B. to sign up for the Debate Club
C. to be greatly involved in sports D. to make as many friends as they can
3. The underlined word “total” in the third paragraph probably means ________.
A. damage B. add C. buy D. earn
4. The passage mainly wants you to know that __________.
A. kids have their secrecy and freedom
B. Raising Teenagers calls for certain parenting skills
C. your teen needs some house rules
D. the family is changing
Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, “I’m homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?”
In that split second, everything I’d learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don’t talk to strangers… Be a good citizen… People will take advantage of you… Treat others as you wish to be treated…I guess love won the debate. “Sure,” I said. “What would you like?”
She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual – lo mein and General Tso’s chicken.
Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, “If you don’t like it you can take it back.” I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. “You don’t like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do.” I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all?
I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it.” How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly.
She got up to get a to-go box. “Would you like one?” she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot.
“Would you like these?” I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. “Oh, no, thank you,” she said. “This is enough.” I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty again.
“I need to meet my friends now,” I explained. “It was so nice to meet you, Joyce.”
“You too, Claire,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you.”
I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? She shouldn’t need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck?
Anyway, I wish her the best, and hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life.
1. From the second paragraph we know that the writer ___________.
A. debated with the girl over moral issues
B. hated having to make a quick decision
C. hesitated before she decided to reach out
D. fell in love with the girl at first sight
2.The writer felt guilty for a moment because _________.
A. she was particular about food and also wasted so much
B. she was a strict vegetarian who ate very little
C. she didn’t order enough food for the girl
D. she urged the girl to take her share of food
3. Why did Joyce end up unemployed and homeless?
A. She was a victim of high education.
B. She actually had some kind of mental disorder.
C. She graduated with average grades.
D. The reason is not yet given.
4. The passage is intended to _________.
A. arouse readers' curiosity
B. explore social problems
C. teach readers a lesson
D. share a personal story
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从36～55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。
This was an unforgettable and wonderful experience．It happened about three years ago and it has had a 21 effect on me．I would like to show respect here for the two men I do not know 22 but whose actions gave a new 23 to the words — kind and generous.
I was walking down a busy street on a cold, windy day in early 24 , A homeless man, probably about 60 and without wearing any shoes , was 25 for change on a street corner.
A BMW car 26 on the other side of the street and an executive（主管）who was perfectly dressed stepped out of the car．He was probably about 27 years old．He was wearing a blue business suit with a deep red silk tie．He walked 28 across the street and over to the homeless man．Without saying anything, he first gave him a lot of 29 and then he sat down and took off his leather gloves（ 手套）, beautiful black leather shoes and his black dress socks．Then he 30 them to the homeless man．The homeless man took them and stared with a/an 31 mouth.
As he drove off, I couldn’t 32 thinking that it was probably the first time he had 33 the pedal（ 踏板）of that top-brand BMW car with a 34 foot! I stood there and the looks of 35 appeared on my face and the homeless man’s.
Two men of about the same age 36 very different lives had met and the one who was 37 in materials had offered 38 than his shoes．He had left this BMW car and 39 down from his high position．He lifted up the other man when he offered respect, 40 and real generosity.
1.A．strong B．bad C．light D．slow
2.A．officially B．personally C．similarly D．generally
3.A．benefit B．attitude C．meaning D．award
4.A．spring B．summer C．autumn D．winter
5.A．searching B．making C．blaming D．begging
6.A．called up B．broke up C．pulled up D．sped up
7.A．40 B．50 C．60 D．70
8.A．directly B．usually C．unwillingly D．fluently
9.A．money B．water C．sand D．oil
10.A．posted B．handed C．kicked D．threw
11.A．closed B．full C．open D．empty
12.A．stand B．delay C．forget D．help
13.A．bended B．cut C．repaired D．pressed
14.A．relaxed B．large C．bare D．single
15.A．excitement B．astonishment C．sadness D．pride
16.A．but B．or C．and D．before
17.A．successful B．careful C．useful D．helpful
18.A．rather B．more C．other D．better
19.A．broken B．fell C．stepped D．rolled
20.A．surprise B．disappointment C．anxiety D．kindness
By the side of the teaching building of our school _____, which was completed in 2009.
A. there standing the library B. does the library stand
C. the library stands D. stands the library
Zhouqu, Gansu was attacked by such a terrible mud-rock flow few residents had ever experienced before.
A. as B. which C. where D. that
