From Disappointment to Purpose
I’m known for my determination. If I want something, I _________ for it; I refuse to give up until I succeed. Over the years this attitude has worked well for me and helped me achieve my goals. _________, when I wanted to be on the dance team at school, I learned all the dances and practiced until I could hardly _______. And when I wanted money for a new computer, I washed cars, babysat, and walked dogs for all my neighbors.
_______ this year everything changed. I had set my sights on a summer _______ that I was determined to get at the Water Zone, because the employees there could go on the water rides after their work and get free food at the snack bar. It was the _________ job to have on hot summer vacations. So just as I had achieved every goal in the past, I set out to _________ the job. I completed the application in my neatest handwriting, carefully prepared for my interview, and gathered a pack of recommendation letters. I was certain that nothing _________ keep me from my dream job.
But after my _________, the manager of the Water Zone told me that he could hire only those with experience in water safety. I was ________. I felt like a failure.
On the last weekend before school ended, my teacher, Mrs. Keller, asked me ________ I would be interested in the kids’ summer day camp. I decided that I had nothing to __________, so I called the manager and __________ an interview. She was __________ by my babysitting experience and employed me. In less than a week, I had completely __________ about wanting to work at the water park. Each time I comforted a little boy who missed his mother or a little girl who needed to help tying her shoes, I felt I was doing something __________. I realized that I had discovered my life’s ________: to work with children. I now have a new goal. I’m going to study to become an elementary school teacher.
Sometimes in life we don’t get __________ what we want. Our dream guy or girl may not be interested in us. The coach may not select us for the team. A certain employer may not choose to hire us. It’s natural to feel ________; I sure did. But I also learned an important lesson. Occasionally, when we don’t get what we want, something even __________ is waiting for us around the corner!
1.A.go B.apply C.cheer D.wait
2.A.In addition B.For example C.Before long D.As a result
3.A.smile B.speak C.think D.move
4.A.Otherwise B.So C.But D.Therefore
5.A.day B.course C.job D.camp
6.A.perfect B.tough C.regular D.potential
7.A.land B.give C.change D.keep
8.A.should B.must C.need D.could
9.A.practice B.interview C.expectation D.experiment
10.A.promoted B.punished C.selected D.refused
11.A.how B.whether C.what D.why
12.A.save B.learn C.lose D.regret
13.A.scheduled B.cancelled C.mentioned D.gave
14.A.inspired B.impressed C.touched D.puzzled
15.A.doubted B.complained C.forgotten D.known
16.A.challenging B.reasonable C.traditional D.significant
17.A.track B.motto C.belief D.purpose
18.A.only B.exactly C.properly D.immediately
19.A.curious B.nervous C.disappointed D.interested
20.A.better B.easier C.higher D.crazier
Setting aside for a rainy day
It’s a common regret in life that we spend more than we save---money that could go into a savings account or into a pension. Whatever age you are, it’ s never too late to start thinking about saving for your future. Here are several ways to get you going.
1.
It’s hard to know what you can afford to save if you don’t have an accurate budget, so doing this is a key first step. Once you’ve made a record of everything you spend each month and everything you earn, you’ll be able to see how much money you have left.
Get into a regular habit
2. Payday is great as you won’t be tempted (诱惑）to spend the cash. You can also set up a standing order to move money automatically into a savings account each month, so you won’t forget.
3.
There are different places you can put your savings, from tax-free ISAs(Individual Saving Accounts) to high-interest current accounts. Wherever you choose, keep an eye on the interest rate. Many have high rates for the first year and drop down afterwards. 4.
Set yourself a goal
If you know exactly what you’re saving for, it’s far more likely you’ll keep putting money away. 5.It’s also worth thinking about building an emergency fund for unexpected expenditures.
A.The earlier the better.
B.Earn as much interest as you can
C.Find out what you can afford to save
D.If that happens, look to move your money elsewhere.
E.Choose a fixed day each month to put money into savings.
F.If you don’t have much left after bills and essentials, you can use your budget to find ways to cut back.
G.It could be to make sure you’re comfortable in the future and have a relatively high standard of living
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many， many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first. According to US government reports, emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.
Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.
Twenty –five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” say Bruce Anderson.
1.According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___.
A.the social movement B.recycling techniques
C.environmental problems D.the importance of Earth Day
2.Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?
A.The grass –roots level. B.The business circle.
C.Government officials. D.University professors.
3.What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?
A.They have cut car emissions to the lowest.
B.They have settled their environmental problems.
C.They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.
D.They have reduced pollution through effective measures.
4.What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?
A.Education. B.Planning
C.Green living D.CO reduction
A company in San Francisco, California, has found a way to turn used plastic bottles into women’s shoes.
Every day, millions of Americans drink water and other liquids from plastic bottles. More than 60 million of them are thrown away each day. Many of the plastic bottles end up in landfills or are burned with other waste products.
A San Francisco start-up company called Rothy’s, however, turns this plastic waste into environmentally friendly shoes. Roth Martin is the company’s co-founder. He explains how they turn plastic into soft material for women’s feet. They take the plastic, clean it, and break it down into small pieces. Then they press them through a device that makes soft fibers. Those fibers are then combined together. This is done by a 3D machine. It is designed to reduce waste while making the shoes. The knitted stuff and the inner part of the shoe are then attached to the shoe’s outer part, called the sole (鞋底). This outer sole is also made from environmentally friendly material: responsibly sourced no-carbon rubber.
Rothy’s shoes are sold online. They are flat shoes, with either a rounded or pointed toe. They come in different colors and designs. They cost either $ 125 or $ 145 per pair, depending on the design. After American actress Gwyneth Paltrow discovered them last year, the demand for the shoes grew. Martin says there is no shortage of material to fill that demand. “We’re not going to run out of water bottles any time soon. So we have a limitless supply of material, and I think that is a good sign for our future.” When the environmentally friendly shoes wear out, customers can return them at no cost to a company that uses the recycled materials to make other products.
For now, the shoes are only available to be shipped in the United States. However, the company says it will add international shipping in the near future.
1.How are used plastic bottles usually dealt with?
A.They are buried or burned.
B.They are used to make shoes.
C.They are changed into soft materials.
D.They arc returned to factories for reuse.
2.What does the underlined word knitted in the third paragraph mean?
A.Attached. B.Fixed.
C.Combined. D.Repaired.
3.Which of the following directly helped to increase the sales of Rothy’s shoes?
A.The design and color. B.The reasonable price.
C.The company’s advertisement. D.The star power of Gwyneth Paltrow.
4.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To advertise a new kind of shoes.
B.To describe the process of making shoes.
C.To introduce a new way of recycling plastic waste.
D.To stress the importance of environmental protection.
Flying High
Barrington Irving made his historic flight and founded an educational non-profit-making organization. His message for kids: “The only thing that separates you from scientists is determination, hard work and a strong liking for what you want to achieve.” The secret, he believes, is having a dream in the first place, and that starts with learning experiences that inspire kids to build careers.
The moment of inspiration for Irving came at the age of 15 in his parents’ bookstore. One customer, a professional pilot, asked Irving if he’d thought about becoming a pilot. “I told him I didn’t think I was smart enough; but the next day he took me to the cockpit (驾驶舱) of the commercial airplane he flew, and just like that I was hooked.”
To follow his dream, Irving turned down a football scholarship to the University of Florida. He washed airplanes to earn money for a flight school and increased his flying skills by practising at home on a $40 flight simulator (模拟) video game. Then another dream took hold: flying alone around the world. He faced more than 50 rejections for sponsorship before convincing some companies to donate aircraft components. He took off with no weather radar, no de-icing system, and just $30 in his pocket. “I like to do things people say I can’t do.”
After 97 days, 26 stops and dozens of thunderstorms, he touched down to a cheering crowd in Miami. “It was seeing so many young people watching and listening that pushed me into giving back with my knowledge and experience.” Irving has been doing it ever since. He set up his non-profit-making organization, Experience Aviation (航空), aiming to increase the numbers of youth in aviation and science-related careers. Kids attend programmes dealing with hands-on robotics projects and flight simulator challenges.
“We want to create chances for students to accomplish something amazing,” he notes. Perhaps Irving’s most powerful educational tool is the example his own life provides. After landing his record-breaking flight at age 23, he said, “Everyone told me I was too young, that I didn’t have enough experience, strength, or knowledge. They told me it would take forever and I’d never come home. Well ... guess what?”
1.According to Irving, what is the most important in achieving success?
A. Meeting people who provide unexpected help.
B. Getting a chance to study technical knowledge.
C. Having something specific that you want to accomplish.
D. Developing communication with different organizations.
2.What Irving replied to the pilot in the bookstore suggested that ______.
A. he felt embarrassed to refuse the offer
B. he was doubtful about his own abilities
C. he knew his efforts would be rewarded
D. he realized immediately how lucky he was
3.What can we learn about Irving in Paragraph 3?
A. He chose to reduce his budget as low as possible.
B. He was finally given enough money to keep going.
C. He got the most useful flying tips from his video game.
D. He took on a further challenge after he knew how to fly.
4.Irving set up his non-profit-making organization because ______.
A. he hoped to become a public figure
B. he expected to start a business in other fields
C. he saw there was great interest in what he was doing
D. he thought he could teach more than flight schools could
Have you ever realized that the smallest countries in the world have so much to offer? Whether it’s historic and cultural heritage or unspoiled nature, these microstates are worth a visit.
Grenada
Grenada is a small country in the world. It is located on island of Caribbean, which is also known as The Island of Spice for several spices like cinnamon, ginger and rare nutmeg. Grenada relies on tourism. Its pristine beaches, warm turquoise water and unspoiled nature make it a wonderful holiday destination. Recently ecotourism has been growing as well.
San Marino
Located within Italy and surrounded by the Apennine Mountains. San Marino is visited by approximately 2 million tourists annually. It’s a beautiful country, which also claims to be the oldest surviving state in the world! Therefore its cultural and historic heritage is undoubtedly fascinating. Although very small, the microstate has a lot of architectural attractions as well as the Romagna, which is loved by Italians, who are among the main guests here.
Maldives
Maldives is located on the bank of Indian Ocean. Maldives has a range of different habitats including deep sea, shallow coast, and reef ecosystems, fringing mangroves, wetlands and dry lands. Visitors to the Maldives do not need to apply for a pre-arrival visa, regardless of their country of origin, provided they have a valid passport, proof of onward travel, and the money to be self-sufficient while in the country.
Andorra
It’s a picturesque microstate found in the Pyrenees Mountains, bordering Spain and France. Over 10 million tourists visit Andorra every year! Unlike the neighboring countries’ high prices, the country has a duty-free policy, allowing shoppers to enjoy lower costs. Also there are winter and summer resorts, so you can visit anytime.
1.Who might be interested in Grenada?
A.Architects. B.Spice lovers.
C.Historians. D.Mountain climbers.
2.Which of the following is a good choice for people who like building design?
A.Maldives. B.San Marino.
C.Andorra. D.Grenada.
3.What is not required for a traveler to Maldives?
A.Money. B.A passport.
C.A visa. D.A return ticket.
