…That’s my second piece of advice, very simple: Don’t make excuses. Take responsibility not just for your successes; take responsibility where you fall short as well.
Now, the truth is, no matter how hard you work, you’re not going to ace (取得好成绩) every class. You’re not going to succeed the first time you try something. There are going to be times when you screw up (弄糟). There will be times where you hurt people you love. There will be times when you make a mistake and you stray (偏离) from the values that you hold most deeply.
And when that happens, it’s the easiest thing in the world to start looking around for somebody else to blame. Your professor was too hard; the coaches were playing favorites; your friend just didn’t understand.
No, but this is an easy habit to get into. You see it every day in Washington — every day -—folks calling each other names, making all sorts of accusations on television. Everybody is always pointing a finger at somebody else. You notice that?
Now, this community could have easily gone down that road. This community could have made excuses — well, our kids have fewer advantages, our schools have fewer resources — how can we compete? You could have spent years pointing fingers— blaming parents, blaming teachers, blaming the principal , blaming the superintendent.
But that’s — Class of 2010, I want you to pay attention on this because that’s not what happened. Instead, this community was honest with itself about where you were falling short. You decided to do better, push your kids harder, open their minds wider, expose them to all kinds of ideas and people and experiences.
So, graduates, I hope you’ll continue those efforts. Don’t make excuses. And I hope that wherever you go, you won’t narrow the broad intellectual and social exposure you’ve had here at Kalamazoo Central — instead, seek to expand it. Don’t just hang out with people who look like you or share your political views. Broaden your circle to include people with different backgrounds and life experiences, because that’s how you’ll end up learning what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes. That’s how you’ll come to understand the challenges other people face.
And this is not just an academic exercise. It’s a way to broaden your ambit (范围) of concern and learn to see yourselves in each other.
—adapted from US President Barack Obama’s graduation ceremony speech at the Kalamazoo Central High School.
1. The underlined words “fall short” in Paragraph 1 probably mean .
A. make a decision B. begin to experience something
C. have someone else to blame D. fail to reach a standard
2. The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 refers to .
A. misunderstanding your friends B. straying from the values you hold
C. making accusations on television D. blaming someone else for your mistake
3. We can infer from Paragraphs 5 and 6 that the community .
A. has got used to making excuses B. has lived up to its responsibility
C. is satisfied with itself D. provides fewer resources than it used to
4. In the last two paragraphs, Obama calls on the graduates to .
A. welcome different ideas, people and experiences
B. participate in as many social activities as they can
C. make friends with people who share their political views
D. be honest and concerned about the community
In our culture, the sources of what we call a sense of "mastery"—feeling important and worthwhile—and the sources of what we call a sense of "pleasure"—finding life enjoyable—are not always the same. Women often are told "You can’t have it all. " Sometimes what the speaker really is saying is: "You choose a career, so you can’t expect to have closer relationships or a happy family life. " or "You have a wonderful husband and children—what’s all this about wanting a career?" But women need to understand and develop both aspects of well-being, if they are to feel good about themselves.
Our study shows that, for women, well-being has two aspects. One is mastery, which includes self-respect, a sense of control over your life, and low levels of anxiety and depression. Mastery is closely related to the "doing" side of life, to work and activity. Pleasure is the other aspect, and it is made up of happiness, satisfaction and optimism. It is tied more closely to the "feeling" side of life. The two are independent of each other. A woman could be high in mastery and low in pleasure, and vice versa （反之亦然） . For example, a woman who has a good job, but whose mother has just died, might be feeling very good about herself and in control of her work life, but the pleasure side could be damaged for a time.
The concepts of mastery and pleasure can help us identify the sources of well-being for women, and correct past mistakes. In the past, women were encouraged to look only at the feeling side of life as the source of all well-being. But we know that both mastery and pleasure are important. And mastery seems to be achieved largely through work. In our study, all the groups of employed women are valued significantly higher in mastery than women who are not employed.
A woman’s well-being is developed when she takes on multiple roles. At least by middle adulthood, the women who are involved in a combination of roles —marriages, motherhood, and employment —are the highest in well-being, in spite of warnings about stress and strain.
1..
It can be inferred from the first paragraph that __ __.
A. for women, a sense of "mastery" is more important than a sense of "pleasure"
B. for women, a sense of "pleasure" is more important than a sense of "mastery"
C. women can’t have a sense of "mastery" and a sense of "pleasure" at the same time
D. a sense of "mastery" and a sense of "pleasure" are both necessary to women
2..
The author’s attitude towards women having a career is_ __.
A. negative B. positive C. neutral （中立） D. realistic
3..
One can conclude from the passage that if a woman takes on several social roles, _ __.
A. her life will be richer and more meaningful
B. she will be more successful in her career
C. her chances of getting promoted will be greater
D. it will be easier for her to overcome stress and strain
4..
The most appropriate title for the passage would be .
A. The Well-Being of Career Women
B. Sources of Mastery and Pleasure
C. Two Aspects of Women’s Well-Being
D. Multiple Roles of Women in Society
Most of us long for relationships in which we are loved and accepted. Our hearts’ desire is to give and receive love in relationships that make us feel that even if others disagree with what we do or say, they still love us, accept us, and appreciate what we give to the world. While it would be wonderful to have these types of relationships with all people, we know that’s hard to do. However, we can have such relationships with some others, but only when we first have them with ourselves—and, strangely, this is often the hardest relationship of all.
Do you love yourself? You may think you do, but do you really? There’s only one way to find out— by taking a close look at what you think, say, and do. You may not like some of what you find, but if you are serious about really loving yourself, you can use this insight to do some positive inner work. Here’re three ways for gaining greater personal insight for deeper love:
Listen Closely to Your Thoughts
Your thoughts will determine your actions. One thing helping you to listen to your thoughts is keeping a journal. It is not necessary for you to write in it every day, but it helps to record various insights you gain as you go about your life. Instead of using a big notebook, you might use a small notepad that you can keep in your pocket for easy access to record your thoughts as they occur to you. Whichever method you choose, what’s most important is that you write your thoughts down. It will help you know what’s in your heart.
Be Honest with Yourself
To do this, you should pay attention to your actions. Actions speak louder than words, and they always tell the truth. If you say you love your job, but your actions say otherwise, which do you think is more reliable? On the other hand, if you say you’re not good at a certain job, but your actions say otherwise, that’s also important. What do you do with this insight? You can use it to make more positive choices in your life. By being honest with yourself, you will act according to truth instead of just what you tell yourself.
Take Quiet Time to Listen to Your Inner Voice
This is similar to the first point, but it takes a step further— beyond the natural mind to the heart that cannot be seen. You may want to use your quiet time to think deeply. However you use this time, the key is to shut out all of the noise around you by focusing deep within yourself. Breathing deeply during quiet time will also help you focus. I know it’s hard to find quiet time during a particularly busy day, but it’s so important— even if it’s just 10 minutes a day and you have to hide somewhere to get it. Quiet time can really make a difference in your life.
Despite what your mind may be telling you, you can have love with no limits. The key is to unconditionally love yourself first.
1.. By looking deep into what we think, say, and do, we can .
A. know whether we really love ourselves
B. appreciate what we give to the world
C. realize what type of relationship we long for
D. know whether we are loved and accepted by others
2..An important way for gaining personal insight is to .
A. do some positive inner work
B. keep a journal wherever you go
C. look closely at what others say about us
D. pay attention to our thoughts
3..The insight we gain from our actions can help us .
A. focus our attention on our jobs
B. make more positive choices in our life
C. act according to the truth
D. tell the differences between our words and our actions
4..It can be learned from the passage that if we want to have love without limits, we must first of all .
A. be honest with ourselves anytime
B. give our love to others generously
C. love ourselves unconditionally
D. take quiet time and think deeply
Whether I’m looking for a good chat with some old Mends or a quiet place to meet a colleague, the pub will be the place I always choose.
I could, of course, go to a bar. But a pub, I always find, is far more comfortable and has a more relaxed atmosphere.
Many people in the UK also have a favorite pub at the end of the road where they live or nearby to where they work. I can almost always guarantee that I’ll bump into someone I know at my “local”, as we British call our nearest pub.
In fact, many people from the UK say that the pub is a cornerstone (基础) of British life. Coming together over a drink, usually of beer, is generally considered the best way to catch up with friends. For those who are a little reserved (内向的), as the British sometimes are, it’s the best way to open up and get chatting.
However, this habit is slowly changing among some British people. According to a survey completed in August by UK trade magazine The Publican, eating, rather than drinking, has become the main source of income for our 52,000 pubs.
The gastropub (美食酒吧), with its greater emphasis on food, is primarily responsible. All over the country, this more expensive type of pub has been springing up, providing a place for more formal meetings with business partners. Wine is often drunk instead of the traditional beer.
But not everyone’s happy. Many people hate the fact that some local pubs are closing because new gastropubs are proving more profitable. “Beer sales are sinking and many pubs are struggling to survive,” Rob Haward, of the British Beer and Pub Association, told UK newspaper The Daily Mail.
For my part, I’m going to do all I can to keep the local British pub alive. It will be the first place I visit when I go back home.
1.. The article is mainly about .
A. the British pub losing popularity B. the author’s love of pubs
C. how the British socialize D. the local British pub
2.. Many British people say that the pub is a cornerstone of British life because .
A. it is nearby and convenient
B. it is a great place for meeting friends
C. it is far more comfortable than a bar to have a drink
D. it is easy to bump into people they know in a pub ,
3.. From the text, we can conclude that gastropubs .
A. will replace the local pubs
B. attach more importance to drinks
C. are somewhere between a restaurant and a bar
D. attract beer lovers as well as wine lovers
4.. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?
A. The author is in favor of gastropubs.
B. Wine is thought to show one’s class and taste.
C. British people do not go to pubs as often as before.
D. Local pubs are being seriously affected by gastropubs.
No one else knew about the extra club （球棍）in Zach Nash’s golf bag. It belonged to a friend, and Zach forgot it was there as he played his way to victory in a junior tournament last summer in Wisconsin, US.
The 14-year-old accepted his medal, celebrated with his grandparents who had come from a long way to watch. But when he stopped by his country club to share the news, a professional player noticed something wrong. “Count your clubs,” he told the teenager.
Fifteen—one more than allowed. Zach’s eyes filled with tears.
If Zach had just won a basketball championship or a soccer game and someone had discovered a violation(违反) after the win, it would not have mattered. Bending the rules has become acceptable, if not encouraged, in much of sports.
Golf is different. In a win-at-all-costs world, the game holds itself to a higher standard. Golf isn’t a game where referees watch closely. In golf tournaments, dozens of competitors are spread across acres of land, so officials cannot hope to see each shot. Competitors call penalties（处罚）on themselves.
“It was a sport for gentlemen, and gentlemen did not care about winning. They care about doing the right thing,” said Robert Simon, a golf coach at Hamilton College in New York.
Honesty became a medal of honor. When one of the game’s early stars, Bobby Jones, was praised for calling a penalty on himself at the 1925 US Open, he replied: “You might as well praise a man for not robbing a bank.”
So even the error had no effect on Zach’s final score—he has never used the extra club, the teenager packed up his medal and dropped it in the mail. “But this is golf, and rules are rules. I just knew what I had to do,” he said.
Then came another tournament. Before teeing off(开球), Zach counted his clubs—four times.
1..
What can we infer from the text?
A. A friend put an extra club in Zach’s bag.
B. Zach returned the medal that he had won.
C. Zach’s grandparents encouraged him to play fair.
D. Zach regretted meeting with the professional player.
2..
According to Robert, golf is different from other sports in that ______.
A. honor comes before victory
B. players are superior to coaches
C. referees have to watch each shot
D. players needn’t care about medals
3..
What can be learned from the underlined sentence?
A. One should be praised for not robbing a bank.
B. Bobby looked down upon bank robbers.
C. Little did Bobby care about the penalty.
D. Observing rules demands no praise.
4..
Why did Zach count his clubs four times before the following tournament?
A. He remembered the lesson. B. He lacked self-confidence.
C. He felt a little too nervous.
D. He was no good with numbers.
When William, a 10-year-old boy planned to learn the piano, the music teacher was reluctant （不愿意）to accept him. She 31 her students to start their music lessons at a young age when their 32 were able to move quickly and easily.
“William, why do you want to learn the piano?” the teacher asked.
“I want to play for my mother.”
She noticed the 33 in his eyes as he answered her. She had no heart to 34 and accepted William as her student. But at each music lesson, William appeared to be in a hurry and played 35 “My mother is waiting outside for me,” he would tell the teacher. She was tempted to advise William not to 36 his time with lessons anymore as he 37 hit the right notes. 38 there was something about William — - she was fascinated with the tender look in his eyes 39 he mentioned “Mother”.
Suddenly, William stopped coming for his lessons. At the end of the semester year, the music teacher decided to 40 a piano recital (独奏会) for her students and she asked them to participate.
She was 41 to find William’s application to contribute a musical piece. She would place him last in the recital 42 he made mistakes.
The day came and William appeared. 43 it was his turn to play, William bowed before the audience and said he was thankful for the music teacher’s 44 with him. “Tonight I am dedicating (献)my music to my mother.” he said.
Everyone later asked why William did not bring his mother as she would 45 be proud. William replied, “My mother was 46 and she could never 47 me play during her life time. 48 she sacrificed her time and money to let me learn the piano. This morning Mother passed away. I am sure she is now 49 as she can hear my piano recital. I chose a piece of piano music by Beethoven. As you all know, Beethoven was deaf by the end of his career. But music always symbolized his 50 for freedom and I would like to dedicate it to Mother.”
1.. A. hoped B. persuaded C. allowed D. preferred
2.. A. fingers B. brains C. eyes D. arms
3.. A. surprise B. joys C. tears D. disappointment
4.. A. put him down B. turn him down C. put him off D. turn him off
5.. A. badly B. nicely C. carefully D. patiently
6.. A. pass B. take C. kill D. waste
7.. A. ever B. never C. even D. always
8.. A. Instead B. Therefore C. Then D. But
9.. A. at one time B. from time to time C. each time D. the first time
10.. A. support B. take C. intend D. organize
11.. A. delighted B. surprised C. curious D. angry
12.. A. as far as B. if only C. in case D. now that
13.. A. Until B. Since C. While D. When
14.. A. patience B. advice C. guide D. concern
15.. A. surely B. gradually C. finally D. quickly
16.. A. blind B. deaf C. ill D. wounded
17.. A. watch B. appreciate C. teach D. hear
18.. A. Besides B. Then C. Yet D. Otherwise
19.. A. happy B. relaxed C. free D. sad
20.. A. effort B. struggle C. belief D. challenge
