I have a friend named John Roberts who owns a horse ranch （牧马场）in San Ysidro. The last time I was there he shared a story with me. “It is a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer. When he was a senior，he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.”
That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch， showing the location of all the buildings，the stables and the track.
“The next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’”
“The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive an F？’”
“The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There‘s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added， ‘If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’”
“The boy went home and asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son， you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’”
“Finally，after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.‘”
John continued, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “If I had changed my paper at that time, maybe we would not have the chance to be here talking about the dreams .”
1.What was the boy’s goal described in his seven-page paper? (No more than 6 words)
2.Why did the teacher give him a F”? (No more than 14 words)
3.How did John’s father respond to his son’s puzzlement? (No more than10 words)
4.What can we learn from the article? (No more than 8 words.)
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comfort of life, one becomes happy while the other becomes unhappy. This difference comes from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events, and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things, the pleasant parts of a conversation, the well prepared dishes, for example. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. So, they’re always dissatisfied. They cannot feel the pleasure of society, they hurt other people, and they make themselves unpopular everywhere. Their intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation, but it gradually grows into a bad habit as time goes on.
Though being unhappy is most probably an act of imagination, it has serious results in life, for it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. The unhappy ones hurt many people; nobody will love them, and nobody will treat them with basic politeness and respect. When they need some advantages in social position or fortune, no one will wish them success.
In order to help the unhappy ones, it is strongly suggested that they should change their bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and the others. If they do it, it will be good for both themselves and the others, and bright life will definitely smile at them some day.
The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand---a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2011, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive (草写字母）.The rest? Block letters.
And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.
At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades.
There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?
It was at University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity (真实性）can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.
The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive (认知的）opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better-a lifelong benefit.
It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.
There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological (神经系统的)wiring, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding.
1.What is the author concerned about after 2011 SAT exams?
A. Keyboarding. B. Shorthand
C. Handwriting. D. Block letters.
2.A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to _________.
A. prove how valuable handwriting is
B. explain what a famous poet he is
C. show how unique his poem is
D. stress how fascinating the documents are
3.The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that_________.
A. the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting
B. the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed xKb 1.Com
C. it doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills
D. the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one
4. According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?
A. Kindergarten. B. Primary school. C. High school. D. College.
5.What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?
A. Devotion. B. Encouragement. C. critical. D. Objective.
Have you ever picked a job based on the fact that you were good at it but later found it made you feel very uncomfortable over time? When you select your career, there's a whole lot more to it than assessing your skills and matching them with a particular position. If you ignore your personality, it will hurt you long-term regardless of your skills or the job's pay. There are several areas of your personality that you need to consider to help you find a good job. Here are a few of those main areas;
1) Do you prefer working alone or with other people?
There are isolating jobs that will drive an outgoing person crazy and also interactive jobs that will make a shy person uneasy. Most people are not extremes in either direction but do have a tendency that they prefer. There are also positions that are sometimes a combination of the two, which may be best for someone in the middle who adapts easily to either situation.
2) How do you handle change?
Most jobs these days have some elements of change to them, but some are more than others. If you need stability in your life, you may need a job where the changes don't happen so often. Other people would be bored of the same daily routine.
3) Do you enjoy working with computers？
I do see this as a kind of personality characteristic. There are people who are happy to spend more than 40 hours a week on a computer, while there are others who need a lot of human interaction throughout the day. Again, these are extremes and you'll likely find a lot of positions somewhere in the middle as well.
4) What type of work environment do you enjoy？
This can range from being in a large building with a lot of people you won't know immediately to a smaller setting where you'll get to know almost all the people there fairly quickly.
5) How do you like to get paid?
Some people are motivated by the pay they get, while others feel too stressed to be like that. The variety of payment designs in the sales industry is a typical example for this.
Anyway, these are a great starting point for you. I've seen it over and over again with people that they make more money over time when they do something they love. It may take you a little longer, but making a move to do what you have a passion for can change the course of your life for the better.
1.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph one mean?
A. Before you select your job, you should assess your skills and match them with your position.
B. There are more important things than assessing skills and match them with the position when you select jobs.
C. Nothing is important than assessing skills and match them with the position when you select job.
D.You should ignore your skills when you select job.
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Isolating usually drive people mad.
B. Interactive jobs make people shy easily.
C. Extreme people tend to work with others.
D. Almost everyone has a tendency in jobs.
3.The underlined word “stability” in the passage most probably means?
A. no movement. B. no anger. C. gentleness. D. enthusiasm.
4.In a job search, what quality is not mentioned in the passage?
A. Outgoing. B. Motivated. C. Cooperative. D. Passionate.
5.What could be the best title for this passage?
A. Lifestyles and Job Pay B. Jobs and Environment
C. Job Skills and Abilities D. Personalities and Jobs
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her three-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen. But complications arise during delivery. Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital.
The little girl gets worse. The doctor tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby — now they plan a funeral.
Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says. But kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. However, Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not. “If he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive.” She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. The head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, "Get that kid out of here now! " The mother, the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray”
Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
"You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away "
The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.
Keep on singing, Michael. Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse as well as Karen.
Funeral plans are scrapped. The next, day — the very next day — the little girl is well enough to go home!
NEVER GIVE UP THE ONE WE LOVE!
1.How did Michal’s feel when he knew that he was going to have a sister?
A. indifferent. B. worried. C. expectant. D. disappointed.
2.The doctor recommended the family ___________.
A. get ready for the worst result.
B. wait for the hope in the near future.
C. prepare much more money for the infant.
D. prepare for another chance in other hospitals.
3.Which word can best replace the underlined word in Paragraph 4?
A. pointed. B. yelled. C. whispered. D. ignored.
4.What happened when Michael sang to his little sister?
A. The little baby responded to his song and woke up immediately.
B. The baby heard the song and burst into tears.
C. The baby’s physical signs disappeared eventually.
D. The baby recovered from the dangerous state of coma gradually.
5.What could be the best title of the article?
A. An unexpected gift. B. A miracle of love.
C. A iron-mother. D. A medical success.
Anyone who owns a car knows that we should maintain the car and fill it with fuel of good quality. To keep it looking good, we occasionally take it 1. a wash. If we abuse the car, it won’t take us where we want to go. 2. it is with our body and soul. The body is just like a vehicle to do the soul’s building. 3. the body is full of energy, it can help open up the soul. Some deeper life issues will become easy for us. Just 4. we learn to maintain a car, we ought to learn how to maintain the body. There must be 5. balance between enjoying ourselves and working. For one thing, we don’t need to be a slave. 6. can sometimes refresh the body so that our soul can accomplish more. For 7. , we have to be in control. Enjoy the pleasure, 8. don’t be addicted to it. Only when our body is at full power can the “will-power” go further.
