One year, my school report made my parents angry. On Christmas Eve, all the presents were stolen, along with our TV. My parents told me that there were no presents because Santa was very angry with my behavior over the past year. The next year on Christmas Eve I slept downstairs with a plastic sword waiting for Santa to make sure that he didn't steal the new TV. The next morning, when I woke up, I saw Santa standing there. As soon as I saw that there were no presents, I grabbed my plastic sword and ran at him, shouting angrily: "THIEF! THIEF!"
Jack
When I was young, we always had a specific room for the Christmas tree. My mom never really liked the location, so one year she moved the tree into another room. I was convinced that Santa would not know where the tree was and would get lost in our house. I was worried that he would be mad and put me on the "bad" list and would not give me any gifts because he couldn't find the tree. I came up with the idea to make signs leading from the fireplace to the tree. They said things like: "Tree this way" or "Santa, put the gifts over here." When my big brother saw them he began to laugh his head off.
Lucy
Does everyone remember going to the mall and sitting on Santa’s lap to have his picture taken at Christmas time?
Well, I used to think that if I did that, Santa would get mad because he would have to go all around the world and give every kid the chance to have his picture taken with him. Of course his lap would hurt and he would be very fired. I thought he might keep a copy of the picture and that would be how he decided who would be on his naughty list.
My mom couldn't get me onto Santa's lap until she made him promise I wouldn't end up on his naughty list.
Lydia
1.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Belief in Santa
B. The Excitement on Christmas
C. Christmas Gifts
D. Christmas Celebration
2.The real reason why Jack's TV was taken away is that ______________.
A. his parents were too careless
B. his parents thought he had watched too much TV
C. Santa Claus was not satisfied with Jack’s behavior
D. Santa gave the TV to another child as a present
3.Which of the following is NOT the reason why Lucy didn't want the tree to be moved?
A. Santa would not know where the tree was.
B. Santa would be angry and would not give her any gifts.
C. Her big brother might laugh at her.
D. Santa might think she was a "bad" child.
When it comes to success in business and success in life, there are few qualities as important as confidence．
People naturally have different levels of confidence．Some have a higher level of confidence than others do, but even those whose confidence is lacking can learn to build their level of confidence and reach their most important goals．Increasing self confidence is one of the most common reasons people give for seeking the help of psychologists and other professionals．
One of the many places where a greater level of confidence is useful is in the workplace． We all know how difficult it can be, for instance, to ask the boss for a raise．This process can be extremely difficult for those who lack confidence in their own abilities．After all, if you are unsure about your own abilities, how will you ever convince your boss that you deserve more money for the work you do?
Even if you are not asking for that big raise, having plenty of confidence in your abilities is important to success．If you are certain of your abilities, chances are that those around you, whether they are your coworkers, your colleagues or your superiors, will see that confidence, and that will help to assure them that you aree the best at what you do．
Being thought of as the person to go to, and being seen as an expert in your chosen field, is naturally very important to success on the job．If you can make yourself the person people go to for guidance and advice, you will help to protect yourself from the ever present danger of downsizing（裁员）．After all, if you are a recognized expert at the office, you will be regarded as an indispensable member of the team．
Having a high level of confidence, after all, does not mean overlooking the places where you could improve．Knowing what you do well and where you need help will help you enjoy increased success and confidence．
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A．The influence of confidence on one's life．
B．The difference of people's confidence．．
C．The importance of confidence to success
D．The judgment on one's confidence．
2.Psychologists and other professionals can offer help to those ______．
A．who dream to be recognized experts
B．who expect to give guidance to others
C．who want to ask the boss for a raise
D．who think their goals are hard to reach
3.What does the underlined word "indispensable" in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A．outgoing B．attractive C．important D．energetic
4.What message does the author want to convey（传递） in the last paragraph?
A．To overlook one's disadvantages．
B．To make full use of one's advantages．
C．To have great confidence in one's abilities．
D．To make objective evaluations of one's abilities．
Millions of girls grow up with the hope of becoming a famous singer. Some even win local talent competitions as children, but only a few such early successes and dreams turn into reality. Jessica Andrews is one of the few whose dreams have come true.
Andrews, first taste of success came at the age of 10. She won a talent competition in her home town of Huntingdon, Tennessee, singing I Will Always Love You, originally sung by Whitney Houston. Houston's version of the song appeared on The Bodyguard sound track, which happened to be the first album Andrews ever bought.
Within two years, talk of Andrews had spread to Nashville and caught the attention of producer Byron Gallimore, whose credits include work with Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Jo Dee Messina. With Gallimore signed on to produce, Andrews soon had a recording contract (合同)with Dream Works' Nashville label.
Andrews' professional career was launched with 1999's Heart Shaped World, recorded when she was 14 years old. The album included the country hit I Will Be There For You, which also appeared on The Prince Of Egypt. She followed up the release of the album by touring as a support act for such country superstars as Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood.
With the release of 2001's Who I Am, Andrews became a star in her own right. The album was certified (证明）gold for sales of 500,000 copies. Andrews returned in April 2003 with Now, an album that she promised would show a new side of the young artist. "This album has a very different feeling for me," she said. "It's a lot more personal and there's a confidence that wasn't quite there on the first two. I feel especially connected to this group of songs."
1. What's the meaning of the underlined word “launched" in the fourth paragraph?
A. Aimed. B. Sent. C. Started. D. Set.
2. Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?
A. The Bodyguard was the first album Andrews ever bought.
B. After Andrews sang Who I Am, she became a star in her own right.
C. I Will Always Love You was originally sung by Whitney Houston.
D. Now expresses a new feeling of Andrews.
3.Which of the following may NOT be Andrews' album?
A. Now. B. Heart Shaped World.
C. The Prince of Egypt. D. Who I Am
4. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Jessica Andrews' Life B. Jessica Andrews' Dream
C. Jessica Andrews' Songs D. Jessica Andrews' Success as a Singer
A few months ago, I was picking up the children at school. Emily, another mother that I knew well, rushed up to me. She was full of ____.
“Do you know ____ you and I are?” she asked. ____ I could answer, she gave out the reason for her question. She had just returned from renewing her driver’s license at a government office. The woman ____ desk asked her what her “occupation” was. Emily hesitated, ____ how to answer it. “What I mean is,” explained the woman, “do you have a job, or are you just a ...?” “Of course I have a job,” answered Emily. “I’m a (an) ____.” “We don’t ____ ‘mother’ as an occupation ... ‘housewife’ covers it,” she said.
I forgot all about her story ____ one day I found myself in the same situation. This time it was at our own Town Hall. The clerk was a woman.
“And what is your occupation?” she asked. What ____ me say it, I do not know. The words simply jumped out. “I’m ... a (an) ______ in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk stopped, her ball-point pen _____ in mid-air. She looked up ____ she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your _____?” Coolly, I heard myself _____, “I have a continuing program of research in the laboratory and in the field. I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have ____ credits (令人增光的人或事物) (all daughters). I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). The job is more challenging than most jobs and the ____ are in satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of ____ in the clerk’s voice as she ____ in the form. As I drove into our driveway(私家车道), I was ____ by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3. Inside the house I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program.
I felt successful. Motherhood...what a great ____.
1.A. surprise B. anxiety C. angerD. excitement
2.A. whoB. what C. how D. why
3.A. WhenB. AsC. BeforeD. Since
4.A. at B. afterC. by D. around
5.A. nervous B. sureC. anxious D. uncertain
6.A. mother B. workerC. teacher D. doctor
7.A. thinkB. listC. expectD. give
8.A. sinceB. unlessC. until D. when
9.A. got B. caused C. permit D. made
10.A. researcherB. managerC. expertD. scholar
11.A. droppedB. floatedC. frozenD. broke
12.A. so that B. even though C. as thoughD. because of
13.A. family B. subjectC. studyD. field
14.A. wordsB. replyC. shoutD. whisper
15.A. twoB. threeC. fourD. five
16.A. rewardsB. awardsC. profitsD. benefits
17.A. interest B. respectC. doubtD. fear
18.A. explainedB. passedC. completedD. filled
19.A. acceptedB. greeted C. recognizedD. refused
20.A. person B. awardC. careerD. business
— Hi, John! I’m going to Greece for my holiday．
— Greece? A splendid country, ______ well worth visiting．
A. it B. one C. which D. that
---May I borrow your book Steve Jobs ?
--- ________ you return it before Friday.
A. If only B. Unless C. On condition that D. Now that
