I owe my father a huge thank you! Sure, I need to thank him for all those years of paying my bills, fixing my bikes, and providing a shoulder to cry on. But this year I realized that his contributions to my childhood were much more than that.
I grew up as Daddy’s Little Girl. If I had a problem that needed fixing or a question that needed answering, he was the one I ran to. He helped me get through everything from math homework as a high school student to career choices as a young adult. He always expected that I do my best in whatever I did, and he believed I could succeed in anything I put my mind to. As a result, I learned to hold myself to those same standards. He always showed me unconditional love, which helped me learn to love myself. It was something I’d taken for granted until I realized from talking with my friends that they had no similar view of their self worth. Having fathers that didn’t believe in them left them to grow up not believing in themselves.
As I was growing up, my father also modeled how a woman should be lavished. He treated my mom with love and respect. As a result, I grew to expect nothing less than that from the men I dated and from the man I would eventually marry. Dad was a living picture of godliness（虔诚）, honesty and responsibility. It was only recently that I realized what a deep effect fathers have on their daughters’ lives. That is why I want to thank my dad for the godly example of love that he has been to me throughout my life.
1.From the second paragraph, the author thinks it is the most valuable that ________.
A. her father was very strict with her.
B. her father helped her a lot in every way.
C. nothing was difficult if her father was on her side.
D. Father’s trust deeply influenced her self-confidence.
2.What does the underlined word “lavished” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Loved B. Respected
C. Treated D. Spoiled
3.Who would the author turn to when in trouble?
A. Her friends. B. Her mother
C. Her husband D. Her father
4.The feeling the author wants to express to her father in this text is ________.
A. grateful B. sad
C. proud D. pitiful
Swimming and English Learning
Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I’m afraid you’ll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It’s the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.
Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn’t matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word.
Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He’s afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don’t be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important when there’s nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It’s interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you’ll make.
Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we’re interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.
Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.
Easier said than done. Well, let’s do more practice from now on. I’m sure you’ll learn English well in this way.
1.We should learn English by _______.
A. listening and speaking B. reading and writing
C. A and B D. swimming
2.What will you do with mistakes when you speak?
A. Don’t make mistakes. B. Study hard
C. Try not to speak English D. Don’t be afraid.
3.What’s more important for senior school students?
A. listening B. speaking
C. reading and writing D. learning
4.We can listen to English ______, according to the passage.
A. by train B. on the radio
C. every minute D. now and then
When your dream is to become a footballer, nothing should get in your way—even if you have no feet.
Gabriel Muniz, an 11-year-old Brazil kid, was born without feet. Although his family thought he would have serious difficulties living a normal life, he started walking before he was one year old. His mother would go after him, expecting him to keep falling, but he never fell. It took him a while to make the jump from walking to playing football, but he did make it. And, in fact, there’s nothing he loves more than playing football. In his school, the skillful youngster(年轻人) is not only the best player in his school team but also the captain of his gym team.
He knows that his disability means he’ll never be able to play for a professional(专业的) football team. So Gabriel is hoping that football will one day become a Paralympics (残疾人奥运会的) sport. He proved to everyone there he could go head to head with any other boy. Watching him play is unbelievable. He’s fast and he’s got a big bag of tricks—he’s very skilled and he does everything he can to copy his hero, Messi so much that he is invited to go to Spain to meet his hero Messi and show his talent in the Barcelona Football Club.
His coach says he is proving the disability only exists(存在) inside our heads
1.What’s right with Gabriel Muniz?
A. He can’t see and hear anything.
B. He always gives trouble to his family.
C. He was born without feet.
D. He often argues with his partners.
2.According to the passage we can know that Gabriel Muniz _______.
A. thinks others laugh at him B. is a professional football player
C. prefers playing for a club D. is a skillful football player
3.Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A. The boy’s family was surprised he could walk well.
B. The boy wants to play football in the Paralympics.
C. The boy has too much difficulty living a normal life.
D. His coach has noticed the boy’s hard job and talent.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. the Power of the Dream B. The Most Popular Sports
C. A Disability Boy and His Hero D. Practice Makes Perfect
Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, I was asked to see a special student. An illness had kept the boy at home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed. He was Matthew. When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles(障碍) and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain(抱怨). He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. He knew what he was talking about. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.
When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion(冠军). You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I got the news that Matthew had died and a letter Matthew had written me a few days before:
Dear Rick,
My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. The doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.
I told you some day I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I’ll never make it. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.
Thank you for loving me.
Your friend,
Matthew
1.The boy wished to meet the writer because .
A. he wished to take part in the Olympics
B. he admired the author very much
C. he hoped to make friends with the author
D. he enjoyed weightlifting
2.Which of the statements is TRUE?
A. Matthew was good at weight lifting.
B. Rick had the similar disease as a child.
C. Matthew never gave up in face of disease.
D. Rick encouraged the boy to become a champion.
3.Why did the boy refuse the writer’s medal?
A. He didn’t need Rick’s pity.
B. Rick looked on the medal as the most important thing.
C. The gold medal was very dear to Rick.
D. He thought he was not worthy of it.
4.What can be inferred from Matthew’s letter?
A. Rick was unhappy before death．
B. Rick kept in touch with Matthew．
C. Matthew sent some pictures to Rick．
D. Matthew got an Olympic gold medal．
One of the most inspiring quotes(名言)I ever heard was by Brian Tracy. He said: “The________between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people________many more times than unsuccessful people.”
I deeply understood the ________ of the quote soon after my fist book was published.
I was living in Atlanta at the time and __________ my fist signing sale for my new book at the phoenix and Dragon, the largest bookstore in the city. Although a nice sign was placed outside the room __________ images of both me and my book, The 9 Insights of the Wealthy Soul, not a single customer entered the room. _________ each minute passed, I became increasingly _________.
At 6:25 pm, just before the store’s _________, I began to get myself ready to leave. At that moment, just when I couldn’t fell any ________, a middle-aged couple walked into the room. I managed to __________ my emotions and introduced myself and my book.
The couple turned the pages each other, and the husband __________ to his wife. She then told me, “I think we’ll get the book.”
Despite the impulse (冲动）to jump __________, and hold their hands to thank them for being my ________ readers, I realized the woman was trying to say something else.
“The ________ we’re buying it is that our son died two years ago,” she said. “Maybe your book will help us __________ it .”
At that moment, I knew if never sold a copy of the book, my four years of ________ had been meaningless.
Although I would have many more challenging years __________ my book became a bestseller, this couple’s story was all the _________ I needed at that point to keep me _________.
Thanks to them, I would realize that the greatest of lives are made all in the same way : One challenge ... one challenge ... one difficulty ... one step ... and one small __________ at a time.
1.A. distance B. balance C. difference D. advantage
2.A. hesitate B. fail C. complain D. survive
3.A. wisdom B. impression C. honor D. analysis
4.A. refused B. decided C. waited D. arranged
5.A. including B. decorating C. declaring D. showing
6.A. While B. With C. As D. When
7.A. curious B. clam C. angry D. anxious
8.A. disappearing B. closing C. crowded D. opening
9.A. good B. bad C. worse D. better
10.A. express B. escape C. read D. hide
11.A. replied B. reacted C. nodded D. pointed
12.A. in the air B. in a row C. on the rise D. on the ground
13.A. reliable B. first C. unusual D. final
14.A. reason B. effect C. purpose D. result
15.A. look through B. come across C. find out D. get over
16.A. writing B. advertising C. studying D. waiting
17.A. since B. until C. after D. unless
18.A. material B. information C. decision D. power
19.A. putting forward B. falling down C. moving ahead D. standing by
20.A. success B. failure C. basis D. pleasure
Though you failed , you should never _____
A. put up B. give up
C. call up D. come up
