下面文章中有5处 （第1～5） 需要添加小标题。请从（A、B、C、D、E和F）中选出符合各段意思的小标题， 并在答题纸上将相应选项的标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。
A. Decide to settle when growth is guaranteed.
B. Follow other people's paths.
C. Blame others for the fault.
D. Have faith in overnight success.
E. Only pay attention to the dreams themselves.
F. Believe someone else has the answers for you.
FIVE WAYS TO KILL YOUR DREAMS
I dedicated the past two years to understanding how people achieve their dreams. When we think about the dreams we have, and the footprint we want to leave in the universe, it is striking to see how big of an overlap there is between the dreams that we have and projects that never happen. So I'm here to talk to you today about five ways how not to follow your dreams.
1.______
You know the story, right? The tech guy built a mobile app and sold it very fast for a lot of money. You know, the story may seem real, but I bet it's incomplete. If you go investigate further, the guy has done 30 apps before and he has done a master's on the topic, a Ph.D. He has been working on the topic for 20 years. This is really interesting. I myself have a story in Brazil that people think is an overnight success. I come from a humble family, and two weeks before the deadline to apply to MIT, I started the application process. And, voila! I got in. People may think it's an overnight success, but that only worked because for the 17 years prior to that, I took life and education seriously. Your overnight success story is always a result of everything you've done in your life through that moment.
2.____
Constantly, people want to help out, right? All sorts of people: your family, your friends, your business partners, they all have opinions on which path you should take: "And let me tell you, go through this pipe." But whenever you go inside, there are other ways you have to pick as well. And you need to make those decisions yourself. No one else has the perfect answers for your life. And you need to keep picking those decisions, right? The pipes are infinite and you're going to bump your head, and it's a part of the process.
3.______
So when your life is going great, you have put together a great team, and you have growing revenue, and everything is set — time to settle. When I launched my first book, I worked really, really hard to distribute it everywhere in Brazil. With that, over three million people downloaded it, over 50,000 people bought physical copies. When I wrote a sequel, some impact was guaranteed. Even if I did little, sales would be okay. But okay is never okay. When you're growing towards a peak, you need to work harder than ever and find yourself another peak. Maybe if I did little, a couple hundred thousand people would read it, and that's great already. But if I work harder than ever, I can bring this number up to millions. That's why I decided, with my new book, to go to every single state of Brazil. And I can already see a higher peak. There's no time to settle down.
4._____
I constantly see people saying, "Yes, I had this great idea, but no investor had the vision to invest." "Oh, I created this great product, but the market is so bad, the sales didn't go well." Or, "I can't find good talent; my team is so below expectations." If you have dreams, it's your responsibility to make them happen. Yes, it may be hard to find talent. Yes, the market may be bad. But if no one invested in your idea, if no one bought your product, for sure, there is something there that is your fault. Definitely. You need to get your dreams and make them happen. And no one achieved their goals alone. But if you didn't make them happen, it's your fault and no one else's. Be responsible for your dreams.
5.______
Once I saw an ad, and it was a lot of friends, they were going up a mountain, it was a very high mountain, and it was a lot of work. You could see that they were sweating and this was tough. And they were going up, and they finally made it to the peak. Of course, they decided to celebrate, right? I'm going to celebrate, so, "Yes! We made it, we're at the top!" Two seconds later, one looks at the other and says, "Okay, let's go down." Life is never about the goals themselves. Life is about the journey. Yes, you should enjoy the goals themselves, but people think that you have dreams, and whenever you get to reaching one of those dreams, it's a magical place where happiness will be all around. But achieving a dream is a momentary sensation, and your life is not. The only way to really achieve all of your dreams is to fully enjoy every step of your journey. That's the best way.
Some of the world’s most significant problems never hit headlines. One example comes from agriculture. Food riots （暴动）and hunger make news. But the trend lying behind these matters is rarely talked about. This is the decrease in the growth in production of some of the world’s major crops. A new study by the University of Minnesota and McGill University in Montreal looks at where, and how far, this decline is occurring.
The authors take a vast number of data points for the four most important crops: rice, wheat, corn and soyabeans. They find that on between 24% and 39% of all harvested areas, the improvement in production that took place before the 1980s slowed down in the 1990s and 2000s.
There are two worrying features of the slowdown. One is that it has been particularly sharp in the world’s most populous countries, India and China. Their ability to feed themselves has been an important source of relative stability both within the countries and on world food markets. That self-sufficiency (自给自足) cannot be taken for granted if productions continue to slow down.
Second, production growth has been lower in wheat and rice than in corn and soyabeans. This is problematic because wheat and rice are more important as foods, accounting for around half of all calories consumed. Corn and soyabeans are more important as feed grains. The authors note that “we have preferentially focused our crop improvement efforts on feeding animals and cars rather than on crops that feed people and are the basis of food security in much of the world.”
The report also states the more optimistic findings of another new paper which suggests that the world will not have to dig up a lot more land for farming in order to feed 9 billion people in 2050, as the Food and Agriculture Organisation has argued.
Instead, it says, thanks to slowing population growth, land currently ploughed（犁）up for crops might be able to revert (回返) to forest or wilderness. This could happen. The trouble is that the prediction assumes continued improvements in productions, which may not actually happen.
1.What significant problem does the writer think we should pay more attention to?
A. The decline of the grain production growth
B. News headlines in the leading media.
C. Food riots and hunger.
D. The food supply in populous countries.
2.Why does the author mention India and China in particular?
A. Their big populations are causing worldwide concerns.
B. Their food yields have begun to decrease sharply in recent years.
C. Their self-sufficiency is vital to the stability of world food markets.
D. Their food self-sufficiency has been taken for granted.
3.What does the new study by the two universities say about recent crop improvement efforts?
A. They fail to produce the same remarkable results as before the 1980s.
B. They contribute a lot to the improvement of human food production.
C. They play a major role in guaranteeing the food security of the world.
D. They focus more on the increase of animal feed than human food grains.
4.What does the Food and Agriculture Organisation say about world food production in the coming decades?
A. The growing population will greatly increase the pressure on world food supplies.
B. The optimistic prediction about food production should be viewed with caution.
C. The slowdown of the growth in yields of major food crops will be reversed.
D. The world will be able to feed its population without expanding the area of farmland.
5.How does the author view the argument of the Food and Agriculture Organisation?
A. It is built on the findings of a new study.
B. It is based on a doubtful assumption.
C. It is backed by strong evidence.
D. It is open to further discussion.
My father had always been an alert observer of human character. Within seconds of meeting someone, he could sum up their strengths and weaknesses. It was always a challenge to see if any of my boyfriends could pass Dad’s test. None did. Dad was always right—they didn’t pass my test either. After Dad died, I wondered how I’d figure it out on my own.
That’s when Jack arrived on the scene. He was different from any other guy I’d dated. He could sit for hours on the piano bench with my mother, discussing some composers. My brother Rick loudly announced that Jack wasn’t a turkey like the other guys I’d brought home. Jack passed my family’s test. But what about Dad’s?
Then came my mother’s birthday. The day he was supposed to drive, I got a call. “Don’t worry,” he said, “but I’ve been in an accident. I’m fine, but I need you to pick me up.”
When I got there, we rushed to a flower shop for something for Mom. “How about gardenias（栀子花）?” Jack said, pointing at a beautiful white corsage (胸花). The florist put the corsage in a box.
The entire ride, Jack was unusually quiet. “Are you all right?” I asked. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said. “I might be moving.” Moving? Then he added, “Moving in with you.” I nearly put the car on the sidewalk. “What?” I asked. “I think we should get married,” he said. He told me he’d planned his proposal in a fancy restaurant, but after the accident, he decided to do it right away. “Yes,” I whispered. We both sat dumbfounded, tears running down our cheeks. I’d never known such a tender moment. If only Dad were here to give his final approval.
“Oh, let’s just go inside.” Jack laughed. My mother opened the door. “Happy Birthday!” we shouted. Jack handed the box to her. She opened it up. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with tears. “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked. “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes. “This is only the second gardenia corsage I’ve ever received. I was given one years ago, long before you kids were born.” “From who?” I asked. “Your father,” Mom said. “He gave me one right before we were engaged.” My eyes locked on Jack’s as I blinked away(眨掉) tears. Dad’s test? I knew Jack had passed.
1.According to the text, we know the writer’s father was __________.
A. interested in observing things around
B. good at judging one’s character
C. strict with her boyfriend
D. fond of challenges
2.What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?
A. Jack got the family’s approval except Dad’s.
B. Jack was different from any other boy.
C. Jack was getting on well with Mother.
D. Jack knew a lot about piano.
3.The underlined word “proposal” in Paragraph 5 means __________.
A. piece of advice B. wedding ceremony
C. celebration of birthday D. offer of marriage
4.On hearing “moving in with you”, the writer felt .
A. pleased B. worried
C. surprised D. disappointed
5.Why did the writer’s mother cry?
A. The gift was the same as the one her husband gave her.
B. She had never received such a beautiful gift.
C. Her daughter found her life partner at last.
D. The gardenia corsage was too expensive.
Have you ever made contact with the creative spirit, that certain something hard to describe, but full of good—and sometimes great—ideas? It is more than an occasional great thought. When we feel the moving of the creative spirit, it brings to life a style of being: a lifetime filled with the desire to invent, to explore new ways of doing things, and to turn dreams into reality.
That flash of inspiration is the final moment of a process marked by unique stages—the basic steps in creative problem-solving. The first stage is preparation, when you look for any information that might be important. It's when you let your imagination run free.
But one barrier(障碍) is the inside voice of judgment that locks up our creative spirit within the limits of what we think acceptable. It's the voice that whispers to you, "They'll think I'm foolish," or "That will never work." But we can learn to recognize this voice of judgment and have the courage to discount its unhelpful advice.
Once you have thought about all the relevant(相关的) pieces and pushed your mind to the limits, you can let the problem remain and take in all you have gathered. It's a stage when much of what goes on occurs outside your focused awareness. As the saying goes, "You sleep on it."
We are more open to creative thoughts from the unknowing mind when we are not really thinking of anything. That is why daydreams are so useful in the search for creativity. Anytime you can just daydream and relax is useful in the creative process: a shower, long drives, a quiet walk, etc.
With luck, daydreaming will lead to a light turning on above your head, when all of a sudden the answer will come to you as if from nowhere. This is the popular stage—the one that usually gets all the glory and attention, the moment that people sweat and long for, the feeling "This is it!" But the thought alone is still not a creative act. The final stage is translation, when you take your creative thought and transform it into action; it becomes useful to you and others.
1.In Paragraph 1, “the moving of the creative spirit” probably means ________.
A. preparation B. exploration
C. problem-solving D. inspiration
2.According to the article, what keeps us from creativity?
A. Having less information to form a good idea.
B. Relying on others during the creative process.
C. Caring about other people’s opinions about us.
D. Thinking about too many ideas at the same time.
3.What can we learn from the fifth paragraph?
A. The unknowing mind is very difficult for us to understand.
B. Creativity arrives when we aren’t focused on anything.
C. Daydreaming is useless and has nothing to do with creativity.
D. Showers, long drives and quiet walk are good for our bodies.
4.When does creativity become useful to us and others?
A. When thought is turned into action.
B. When people understand our ideas.
C. When the popular stage is reached.
D. When we think “This is it!”.
5.Which of the following would the author probably support?
A. The creative spirit means an occasional great thought.
B. Others’ voice of judgment allows us to ignore barriers.
C. Creative problem-solving calls for barrier-free imagination.
D. Daydreaming is sure to bring a sudden answer to a problem.
Although he will always be remembered for starring “Superman,” the greatest role of actor Christopher Reeve’s life was as a champion of sufferers of spinal cord （脊椎） injuries and an supporter of stem cell （干细胞） research.
Unlike the man of steel, he wasn’t faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than an engine and he couldn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound. But the courage and determination Reeve showeed in trying to overcome his paralysis （瘫痪） from a 1995 horse-riding accident went beyond any of the achievements of the comic book hero.
“He became a real-life Superman. His heroism, his courage was extraordinary,” Colin Blakemore, the chief executive of Britain’s Medical Research Council said. “Like many people who suffer some terrible injuries, Christopher Reeve was totally changed by that experience and brought the kind of energy and enthusiasm that made him successful as a film star to an entirely different issue, with huge effect.”
Reeve, 52, died of heart failure on October 10, 2004 after having treatment for an infected pressure wound without realizing his dream of walking again. But in the nine years since his accident, he made personal progress to regain respect and admiration, founded the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a non-profit research organization, and used his fame to raise millions of dollars for research into spinal cord injuries.
He also provided hope and inspiration to other patients and made speeches to support scientists to be allowed to conduct stem cell research in the hopes of eventually curing paralysis and other illnesses such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
“He has been our champion. If you think of spinal injuries, you automatically recall a picture of Christopher Reeve,” said Paul Smith, executive director of the Spinal Injuries Association in England. It is because of Reeve that spinal cord injuries and stem cell research are so widely discussed, according to Smith. The fact that it happened to Reeve showed it can affect anyone, even Superman.
Reeve did not live long enough to see whether stem cell research could help restore movement to the paralyzed. The research is still in its early days and no one knows what advances it may bring.
1.Which of the following words can best describe the characteristics of Reeve?
A. strong-willed and caring
B. tough and persuasive
C. caring and reliable
D. sympathetic and considerate
2.The purpose of paragraph 2 is to show us that ______.
A. Reeve was not as capable as the image he acted in his film
B. the image of Superman created by Reeve will always be remembered
C. Reeve is no more than an ordinary person when he was faced with paralysis
D. the inspiring image in Reeve’s real life was even greater than that in his film
3.Reeve made the following contributions to the scientific research except______.
A. setting up a non-profit research organization
B. winning public respect and admiration by overcoming obstacles
C. influencing the world by making speeches on stem cell research
D. struggling for the permission to conduct stem cell research
4.It can be implied from the passage that ______.
A. Reeve remained optimistic after suffering from paralysis
B. stem cell research has long been a controversial subject
C. paralysis can happen to anyone no matter how strong he seems
D. some presently incurable illnesses are to be cured in the near future
5.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A. A Fighter of Spinal Cord Injuries
B. A Real Hero in Film
C. A Forever Superman
D. A Struggling Life
完形填空
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1-20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
It was 4 o'clock in the morning, when I received the phone call．
“This is the emergency room calling and your son was just ______ in with severe burns on his face, neck and arms. We have called for a(n) ______ and are going to fly him to the burn unit in Seattle.” Seattle was 350 miles from his college, so we knew immediately this was ______.
The doctor described the ______, which caused the burns. At 6 am, our son and his friends decided to barbecue hamburgers in the courtyard of their apartment. When they ______ the charcoal(木炭), it burst into flames because they had sprayed too much gasoline. The flames ______ my son’s shirt tail and shot from his waist to well over his head.
______, one of the boys who was quick—minded grasped my son and ______ him on the grass. While it saved his life, it was not in ______ to save him from severe burns and the terrible scars.
After he ______ from the treatments, the doctors told him they would not do plastic surgery(整容)for 6 months ______ it takes that long for the skin to stop wrinkling(起皱). So, he had to return to college with scars typical of severe burns．
When I was a child, my mother told my sister，who had a 10-inch very ______ scar on her arm, “Nancy，if you ignore the scar，other people will ignore it. It does not mean they will not ______ it, but it means it will not matter to them if it doesn’t matter to you. ’’
I ______ this wisdom on to my son. He took my advice to _____ and returned to school with his head held high—glad he was alive.
By the end of the six-month waiting period, he decided that the scars did not ______. So he made the ______ to give up any plastic surgery.
We all have “scars” that we believe ______ people to keep away from us. And we spend a lot of time thinking that if only we looked differently, or dressed differently, people would like us better. But you see, people will only judge you by your looks or your clothes if you are judging yourself by these same ______ standards. Put your imperfections out of your mind and concentrate on what you value ______ yourself, and your beauty will shine through.
1.A. brought B. given C. turned D. showed
2.A. doctor B. hospital C. aircraft D. ambulance
3.A. serious B. terrible C. dangerous D. important
4.A. event B. process C. reason D. accident
5.A. got B. lit C. burned D. moved
6.A. took B. held C. caught D. attracted
7.A. Fortunately B. Surprisingly C. Happily D. Slowly
8.A. pushed B. threw C. dropped D. rolled
9.A.shape B. place C. fact D. time
10.A. benefited B. recovered C. suffered D. relaxed
11.A. if B. while C. because D. although
12.A. normal B. violent C. obvious D. popular
13.A. mention B. notice C. 1augh D. hide
14.A. sent B. kept C. handed D. passed
15.A. heart B. life C. practice D. admission
16.A. grow B. matter C. exist D. appear
17.A. mistake B. effort C. decision D. request
18.A. invite B. cause C. allow D. remind
19.A. false B. strict C. moral D. general
20.A. by B. over C. beyond D. within
