Just like everyone, I have experienced ups and downs in my life. I am an aerospace engineer from India. I was told by my relatives, close friends and others that it was _______ for a non-IT student to pursue a master’s degree in IT and graduate from a US university.
I had never taken courses ________ to computers or programming. I was never interested in being a _________, but things changed. Computers became my companion and I ________how dependent on them I was. I _______ imagining the backend processes happening inside the CPU and they amazed me. That’s why I ______ to pursue a master’s degree in IT.
At first, it was way too _______. Coming from a middle-class family, the huge cost per credit was a big _______. My English accent was terrible. Most _______ , the course seemed impossible at first. But I never _________
I got a few offers, but I decided to choose my university _______ it promises students to help them learn practically. During my first month, it was difficult to understand the American’s ______ and finish my assignments. But I never gave up. I walked two miles to the _______ every day so that I could use my travel money to buy a meal. I started looking for _______ and I got an offer to work as a student assistant, which meant lifting benches and chairs every day.
I took it as a(n) ______ , and I believed that hard work was my strength. Right now I am graduating with a GPA of 3.96/4 and a job offer from a multinational company that has asked me to start right after _______
If you think you can never achieve something, you need to ______ yourself and start working on your _______. Hard work always pays off. To be ______, you need to start from somewhere and always question yourself about the limits of how far you would go to ______ your goals.
1.A. interesting B. hard C. important D. practical
2.A. adjusted B. limited C. related D. tied
3.A. teacher B. programmer C. designer D. master
4.A. wondered B. believed C. judged D. realized
5.A. started B. stopped C. considered D. avoided
6.A. learned B. refused C. decided D. agreed
7.A. difficult B. exciting C. different D. boring
8.A. mistake B. problem C. event D. question
9.A. probably B. surprisingly C. importantly D. regretfully
10.A. kept up B. gave up C. turned up D. picked up
11.A. because B. but C. so D. though
12.A. fashions B. opinions C. accents D. manners
13.A. shop B. university C. hotel D. restaurant
14.A. jobs B. places C. goals D. friends
15.A. decision B. task C. advantages D. challenge
16.A. celebration B. operation C. discussion D. graduation
17.A. Speak to B. believe in C. know about D. stand for
18.A. degrees B. dreams C. adventures D. hobbies
19.A. successful B. grateful C. cheerful D. thoughtful
20.A. set B. change C. achieve D. rebuild
Before you begin studying English, ask yourself one question: “1.” Is it because you want to, or because someone else wants you to? Like every decision in life, studying English must be something you want to do. Here are some tips to help you learn English well.
● Set goals.
If you know why you want to study, setting goals is easy. For example, maybe you want to travel to an English-speaking country. Great! 2. Perhaps you have already known many useful phrases, but you want to improve your listening skills and pronunciation. Whatever your goals are, you should write them down,
● 3.
How long do you need to study to achieve your goals? This answer is different for every student. 4. If you work 40 hours per week，don’t plan on spending another 5. hours a week studying English. Start off slow, but study regularly. Use material that is challenging, but not too difficult. Find out what works for you. After you have studied for a few weeks, adjust your study schedule accordingly.
● Make a commitment.
Learning English requires a lot of motivation. Nobody is going to take your attendance when you aren’t in class. If you are sure that you are ready to begin studying, make a commitment.
● Have fun learning English.
If you aren’t having fun learning English, you’re not studying the right way! You can be a serious student who has fun at the same time. Make up your own reward program to give yourself encouragement to stay on a task.
A. Make an arrangement.
B. Why do I want to study English?
C. Your goal might be to learn “Survival English”.
D. The important thing is to be realistic and reliable.
E. What is the most effective way of learning English?
F. The things we do best in life are what we enjoy doing.
G. Make every moment of your English learning meaningful.
Spend any time in London, England’s capital, and you’ll quickly gather that it’s a multicultural (多元文化的) community. Look around at your fellow passengers on the Tube(地铁) or the bus. They’re of every skin color and dress differently to one another. Listen, and you’ll hear many other languages besides English spoken. Some of these people, no doubt, will be tourists who are in London to see the sights. But others — in fact probably most — will be living their lives there, along with millions of others.
Along with white British people, there are Britons from, or with parents and grandparents from, the Caribbean, India, China and most other places. This makes London a fascinating place in which to live. The reason is that when people settle in a place, they don’t just buy a house and live there, but bring aspects of the culture of their “old country” with them.
The most visible sign of this is the number of restaurants offering dishes from different parts of the world. In a city in which it’s estimated 250 different languages are spoken, you can expect a similarly wide range of foods to be available. You would expect in one of the world’s leading cities to encounter(遇到) French, Italian, Chinese and Indian eateries. But in London you’ll also find Polish, Patagonian and Palestinian restaurants.
However, London’s multiculturalism isn’t just about food. Many types of people are gathered in one space, but the way they live differently shows in that space. They worship(崇拜) differently, for one thing. Alongside the famous old English churches by Nicholas Hawksmoor and Christopher Wren — responsible for one of the capital’s most famous landmark, St Paul’s Cathedral—you’ll find mosques(清真寺), temples and synagogues (犹太教堂).
London even speaks its own special kind of English. Language experts created the term “Multicultural London English” to identify the dialect of English that appeared at the end of the last century.
All of this makes London a very surprising and varied place to call your home. But, in a way, this has long been true. In the 18th century, the compiler(编纂者) of the first English dictionary, Samuel Johnson, once said: “ He who is tired of London is tired of life.”
1.By describing the situation on the Tube and bus, the author intends to ________.
A. show that London is a multicultural city
B. explain why London appeals to tourists
C. prove that London is a great place to live in
D. inform us of how the population of Britain is made up
2.According to the article, people who settle in London from other places ________.
A. are forced to give up their native language
B. find it easy to buy a house in the city
C. bring in cultural practices from their original country
D. make up the majority of the population in the city
3.Which of the following could be used as proof of London’s multiculturalism?
A. The city is home to the famous building St Paul’s Cathedral.
B. The city has become a favorite destination for tourists abroad.
C. There are a variety of French restaurants in the city.
D. A new London dialect has appeared in recent years.
4.Samuel Johnson is mentioned in the last paragraph to ________.
A. show what London was like in the 18th century
B. prove the cultural diversity of London from a historical aspect
C. inform the readers what to expect in London
D. introduce the first English dictionary he compiled
Laughter Yoga(瑜伽) is one form of yoga. Madan Kataria, a doctor in Mumbai, India invented it. He believed that people had forgotten how to really laugh. Through his research he made an interesting discovery. The human mind does not know the difference between forced laughter and real laughter. Forced laughter can also lead to a feeling of happiness.
And then Kataria had the idea for a group of people who would laugh together. He gathered a few of his friends together. They met in a public park in Mumbai. That small group grew and grew! And this is how people began to do Laughter Yoga. People doing Laughter Yoga usually meet together in a Laughter Club. Kataria’s friends formed the first Laughter Club in 1995.
Today, there’re over 5,000 Laughter Clubs in 53 countries. But what exactly do people do in a Laughter Club? People in Laughter Yoga meetings usually do a series of exercises. The exercises include body movement, correct breathing, and of course, laughter! At the beginning of the meeting, people may have to force themselves to laugh. But by the end, everyone is usually laughing in a real way! Each meeting is a little different. But there are common exercises groups may do.
Experts say that the exercises help blood move around the body faster. They also say that Laughter Yoga helps people deal with the bad things in their lives. They say that a person may go into a Laughter Club meeting feeling sad, angry, or worried. But then, people act happy. After a time, forced laughter becomes real laughter. This is one reason why people may enjoy laughter Yoga so much
1.What did Kataria find out about laughter? ____
A. People are often forced to laugh.
B. Forced laughter works as well as real laughter.
C. Forced laughter is more interesting than real laughter.
D. People refuse to use forced laughter to cheer them up.
2.Before 1995, people did Laugter Yoga _____.
A. to make friends B. to laugh at each other
C. in a public park D. in a Laugter Club
3.Paragraph 3 is mainly about _____.
A. the rapid development of Laughter Clubs.
B. the importance of laughter in Laugter Yoga.
C. common exercises people do in a Laughter Club.
D. different feelings at the beginning and end of the meetings.
4.According to experts,_______.
A. anyone can join in a Laughter Club.
B. laughter is a very good form of exercise.
C. Laughter Yoga makes blood move slowly.
D. it takes a long time for people to be free of bad feelings.
The entire house was lit with lights. It was Meera’s wedding the next day. Seema walked to her daughter's bedroom. Meera was not there, so she left the envelope on Meera’s bed and went away. When Meera came back after a bath downstairs, her eyes fell on the envelope. She picked it up and opened it Sitting on the bed, she started to read it：
My darling daughter, I’m so happy for My darling is getting marked! To such a good man! At the same time, I’m a little worried, too. The reason? You’re going to a new house where everything is going to be new: the people, relationships and surroundings. Yes, you’re smart and Vinod will be there with you to help, but I have a few things to say:
Accept Vinous parents as your parents. Remember that your mother-in-law will have her own understanding about you. So it’s up to you give her a good impression.
Earn respect from family members. If that means changing yourself a little bit and adapting to their customs, just do it. It will help you to settle into your new home.
Never compare your mothers home and their home. It may not be appreciated.
The kitchen is one place where small fights can appear. Ifs your mother-in-law s kingdom, so ask her permission if you want to cook something. If she offers help, accept it. This Ml help in building trust between you. Similarly, offer her your help when she s busy cooking. Thus, a new relationship -will be born: one of respect and understanding.
Finally, respect your husband, as he's your life partner. Remember that a marriage re-quires trust, love and compromise (妥协).
I could have sat with you and told you, but I felt that writing all this down would make you understand better and I’m sure you’ll give your whole heart to this relationship. Remember that both Papa and I are here for you always.
Love,
Ma
1.Where was Meera when her mother went to her bedroom?
A. In the kitchen. B. In the bathroom.
C. In Vinod’s house. D. In the bedroom.
2.What was Seema’s attitude towards Vinod?
A. Satisfied. B. Cautious.
C. Doubtful. D. Worried
3.According to the text, what will help if Meera wants to build trust with her mother-in-law?
A. Living with her. B. Cooking meals instead of her.
C. Making comparison with her. D. Accepting her help in the kitchen.
Do you believe that things are connected for no scientific reason at all? For example, do you avoid saying the word “four” to avoid bad luck? If so, you have a superstition (迷信). And you’re not alone — all kinds of people have them.
For example, Portugal’s soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo always steps onto the pitch (球场) with his right foot first, according to The Telegraph. And sports players are not alone in having superstitions. A visitor once asked the Nobel Prize winning scientist Niels Bohr whether he really believed that the horseshoe he’d hung at his country home was lucky. “Of course not,” the Danish physicist said. “But I understand it’s lucky whether you believe in it or not.”
One recent study found that even scientists at MIT and other top US schools tended to look for a meaning in natural events, similar to the connection between stepping on the pitch and playing soccer well, according to The Atlantic. When the researchers gave the scientists little time to answer questions, they were twice as likely to agree with statements such as “Trees produce oxygen so that animals can breathe” as they were when they had more time to think about their reply.
It seems that fear can make people think differently in this way, too. In a British study, students imagined meeting a “witch” who said she would cast (施魔法) an evil spell(符咒) on them. About half said a scientist should not be worried about the spell. Yet each of them said that, personally, they wouldn’t let the witch do it to them.
So why are so many of us superstitious? Well, it seems to be our way of dealing with the unknown. “Many people quite simply just want to believe,” Brian Cronk, a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University, said in a 2008 interview. “The human brain is always trying to work out why things happen, and when the reason is not clear, we tend to make up some pretty bizarre (古怪的) explanations.”
And these explanations aren’t completely unhelpful. In fact, superstitions can sometimes work and bring real luck, according to psychologists at the University of Cologne in Germany in the May 2010 issue of the journal Psychological Science. They found that believing in something can improve performance on a task like an exam.
So, what about you? What superstitions do you follow to keep you safe and successful?
1.The author mentions avoiding saying the word "four" in the opening paragraph to ________.
A. show how foolish it is to believe in superstitions
B. introduce the readers to the topic of superstitions
C. discuss the scientific reasons behind superstitions
D. prove that it is reasonable to be superstitious
2.How many superstitious practices are mentioned in the passage?
A. 3 B. 2 C. 4 D. 5
3.What’s the author’s attitude to superstitions?
A. Unknown. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Neutral.
4.What is the best title of the article?
A. Why superstitions are common
B. How superstitions affect our daily lives
C. How some common superstitions came into being
D. How to get rid of superstitions
