When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could __1__ tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 2 in class.
When I took the first exam, I was 3 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper, 4 English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained_ 5 .
I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that 6 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 7 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 8 .
One more test before the final exam. One more 8 to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time. 10 The meaning of the word “thorough”. But my 11_ did no good and everything 12 as before.
The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what 13 I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 14 goodbye.
I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even 15 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have 16__with a test.
A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He 17__ to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you 18 , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”
I stared at him. 19 That his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head 20 , as I had never done before.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.
1. A. take B. discuss C. cover D. get
2. A. sought B. presented C. exchanged D. obtained
3. A. shocked B. worried C. scared D. anxious
4. A. but B. so C. for D. or
5. A. unchanged B. unpleasant C. unfriendly D. unmoved
6. A. reflected B. meant C. improved D. affected
7. A. quarreled B. reasoned C. bargained D. chatted
8. A. attitude B. mind C. plan D. view
9. A. choice B. step C. chance D. measure
10. A. memorized B. considered C. accepted D. learned
11. A. ambition B. confidence C. effort D. method
12. A. stayed B. went C. worked D. changed
13. A. grade B. answer C. lesson D. comment
14. A. scholarship B. course C. degree D. subject
15. A. helped B. favored C. treated D. relaxed
16. A. fun B. luck C. problems D. tricks.
17. A. happened B. proved C. pretended D. seemed
18. A. valued B. imagined C. expected D. welcomed
19. A. remembering B. guessing C. supposing D. realizing
20. A. out B. over C. on D. of
These days, people who do manual work often receive far more money than people who work in offices. People who work in offices are frequently referred to as “white-collar workers” for the simple reason that they wear a collar and tie to go to work. Such is human nature, that a great many people are often to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers. This can give rise to curious situations, as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs who worked as a(an) for the Ellesmere Corporation.
When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job. He told her that he worked for the Corporation. Every morning, he left home in a smart black suit. He then changed into overalls and the next eight hours as a dustman. Before returning home at night, he took a shower and changed back into his suit. Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept his . Alf's wife has never discovered that she married a dustman and she never will, for Alf has just found job. He will soon be working in an office. He will earn much less than he used to, but he feels that his rise in is well worth the loss of money. From now on, he will wear a suit all day and others will call him 'Mr. Bloggs' 'Alf'.
A.eventually B.occasionally C.usually D.apparently
A.excited B.willing C.interested D.lucky
A.official B.manager C.salesman D.dustman
A.hopefully B.probably C.simply D.politely
A.wore B.put C.tried D.dressed
A.took B.spent C.cost D.wasted
A.mistake B.secret C.memory D.reputation
A.another B.one C.the other D.other
A.status B.look C.direction D.statue
A.in spite of B.regardless of C.instead of D.in case of
In your life,nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck.Everything to test the limits of your soul.Without these small tests,life would be like a smoothly paved, ,flat road to nowhere.Safe and comfortable but dull and pointless.
If someone you or breaks your heart,forgive them for they have helped you trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to.If someone loves you,love them back ,not only because they love you,but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and to things you would have never felt or seen without them.
Make every day count.Appreciate every and take from it everything that you possibly can,for you will never be able to experience it again.
A.takes B.occurs C.shows D.breaks
A.busy B.muddy C.straight D.enjoyable
A.wins B.interests C.influences D.hurts
A.look through B.1earn about C.watch out D.adjust to
A.unconditionally B.desperately C.intentionally D.instantly
A.arms B.mouth C.brain D.eyes
A.success B.failure C.moment D.challenge
A very wealthy man was standing thoughtfully on a bridge.Despite all his riches,he could feel none of happiness but and emptiness in his heart.He to commit suicide by jumping into the fast-flowing water.
When he was about to do it,an old beggar him.“Sir,please give me some money to buy some food.I will pray for your health and long life.”
Hearing this,he his wallet from his pocket and gave all the money inside to the beggar.“Take all of this,”he said.
“All of this?” the beggar .He could not believe his good luck.
“Yes,take it all.I am going to a place where I won’t need it anymore,’’said the man.He looked back at the river .
The beggar became suspicious of the man’s .Looking at the money,and holding it for a while,he returned it and said,“No,thank you.I won’t take it! I may be a beggar but I'm not a coward(懦夫)!Bring that money with you to the river,sir!”
Hearing his response,the man was .The satisfaction and happiness of him his money to the beggar disappeared immediately.He was not even able to make the beggar receive his sincere soon-to-be-useless money.
At that moment,he suddenly the feeling that he felt just now,that good feeling and satisfaction from giving others happiness,had indeed become his own true happiness.By this he was encouraged,and had found what would make his life worth living.
Happiness is only real when .
A.eagernes B.poverty C.sorrow D.success
A.struggled B.wondered C.managed D.intended
A.approached B.interrupted C.persuaded D.shouted
A.picked up B.took out C.reached for D.handed in
A.recalled B.refused C.repeated D.retold
A.away B.forward C.aside D.below
A.attitude B.order C.attention D.politeness
A.delightedly B.hurriedly C.hopelessly D.generously
A.shocked B.terrified C.worried D.encouraged
A.sending B.giving C.supplying D.contributing
A.realized B.hated C.enjoyed D.struck
A.by nature B.by design C.in turn D.in circles
A.bought B.appreciated C.sacrificed D.shared
Years ago,there was a very wealthy man who,with his devoted young son,shared a passion for art collecting .Together,they traveled around the world,adding only art treasures to their collection.
One year,as winter approached, engulfed(吞没) the nation,and the young man left to in the army.After only a few short weeks,his father received a telegram.His beloved son was in action.The art collector awaited more news, he would never see his son again.Within days,his fears were .The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a doctor.
Upset and ,the old man faced the coming Christmas holidays with sadness.On Christmas morning,a knock on the door awakened the old man.As he opened the door,he was greeted by a with a large package in his hands.
He introduced himself to the old man by saying,“I was a of your son .I was the one he was when he died.May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”
As the two began to ,the soldier told of how the man’s son had told everyone of his,not to mention his father’s, of fine art.“I am no ,”said the soldier,“but I want to give you this.”
As the old man unwrapped the package ,he saw a portrait (画像)of his son.Though the world would consider it the work of a genius,the painting featured the young man’s face detail.
Overcome with emotion,the man the soldier.After the soldier had left,the old man put the painting above the fireplace,pushing thousands of dollars worth of art.His task completed,the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the he had been given.
A.poorest B.richest C.finest D.cheapest
A.flood B.fire C.storm D.war
A.save B.protect C.serve D.build
A.missing B.acting C.fighting D.dying
A.calmly B.anxiously C.quietly D.secretly
A.fearing B.doubting C.wondering D.expecting
A.completed B.doubled C.removed D.confirmed
A.nervous B.tired C.lonely D.frightened
A.sad B.puzzled C.angry D.worried
A.farmer B.soldier C.painter D.seller
A.guard B.photographer C.partner D.friend
A.rescuing B.commanding C.guarding D.hiding
A.argue B.move C.talk D.eat
A.description B.love C.sense D.understanding
A.artist B.businessman C.hero D.reporter
A.sometimes B.never C.often D.still
A.for B.of C.in D.on
A.thanked B.questioned C.welcomed D.treated
A.down B.up C.aside D.off
A.treasure B.gift C.souvenir D.package
In a land far away, once upon a time there was great poverty, and only the rich could manage without great problems.It is said that one day three of those rich men and their servants were together on a road when they came to a very poor village.
The first could not stand seeing the , so he took all the gold and jewels from his wagons (四轮载重马车) and shared them out among the villagers.He wished them all the best of luck, and he left.
The second rich man, seeing the worrying situation, stopped for a short time and then decided to give the all his food and drink, since he could see that money would be of little to them.He made sure that they each their fair share and would have enough food to last for some time.Then, he left.
The third rich man, on seeing such poverty, and went straight through the poverty-stricken village without stopping.The two other rich men saw all this from a distance and commented heatedly with each other on how the third rich man lacked sympathy.It was that they themselves had been there to offer help.
However, to their great surprise, three days later, they the third rich man, who was coming in the direction.He was still traveling quickly, but his wagons, instead of the gold and valuables they had been carrying, were now completely full of farming tools and bags of .He was rushing back to help them out of poverty.
A.standing B.traveling C.gathering D.running
A.land B.welfare C.richness D.poverty
A.villagers B.servants C.others D.rest
A.interest B.concern C.use D.attraction
A.returned B.possessed C.offered D.received
A.turned around B.certain C.true D.strange
A.welcomed B.met C.accepted D.persuaded
A.opposite B.same C.similar D.familiar
A.food B.jewels C.money D.seeds