Many years ago my student asked me the question, "Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?" Without taking time to reflect, I answered, "Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone's life." Even though I was sincere, that wasn't a very good answer and my student didn't let it slide.
"Let me get this straight," he said, "You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?" He shook his head as if I were crazy and walked away looking confused. I'm one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.
Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach:
It's in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled(逐渐灌输) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.
Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can't have ripples without a "stone." Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that's what I strive to do.
I genuinely love teenagers. I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they'll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.
Teaching isn't for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?
| A．Because he thought her answer was unbelievable. |
| B．Because the writer was insincere. |
| C．Because the student was naughty. |
| D．Because the answer was difficult to understand. |
What do you think of the writer?
| A．Stupid. | B．Honest. | C．Conservative. | D．Polite. |
According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The writer’s mother has the greatest influence on her. |
| B．The writer’s answer made the student confused. |
| C．In the writer’s opinion, some people in the world are unfit to teach. |
| D．The writer annoyed the student who asked the question. |
We can infer from the text that _________.
| A．the writer was also a good teacher in school |
| B．the writer often plays with her students beside a pond |
| C．the writer devotes herself to teaching and her students |
| D．the writer often accompanies the students on their way home |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．A student’s silly question. | B．A good teacher who likes students. |
| C．A confused student. | D．The reason why I teach. |
I was on my way to the Taiyetos Mountains. The sun was setting when my car 31 (break) down near a remote and poor village. Cursing my misfortune, I was wondering where I was going to spend the night when I realized that the villagers who had gathered around me were arguing as to 32 should have the honor of receiving me 33 a guest in their house. Finally, I accepted the offer of an old woman who lived alone in a little house. While she was getting me 34 (settle) into a tiny but clean room, the head of the village was tying up his horse to my car to pull it to 35 small town some 20 kilometres away 36 there was a garage.
I had noticed three hens running free in my hostess’s courtyard and that night one of them ended up in a dish on my table. 37 villagers brought me goat's cheese and honey. We drank together and talked 38 (merry) till far into the night.
When the time came for me to say goodbye to my friends in the village, I wanted to reward the old woman 39 the trouble I had caused 40 .
Millions of words have been said about young people in the United States. There are reasons 31 this great interest in their ideas, 32 (feel) and actions. Today there are about eight million Americans in the colleges and universities. The young under twenty-five make 33 nearly half of the American population, many of 34 will be in power in the U.S. 35 (nature) their ideas are important to everyone in the country, and 36 is necessary for the older people to understand 37 they think and feel. College students today have strong 38 (opinion) about right and wrong. They are deeply interested in making a 39 (good) life for all the people, especially for those 40 _____ have never been given a fair chance before.
More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new survey. 31 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape 32 (press) from work, almost all said they worry more 33 they do at home. Only four in every one hundred said that they are happy and free of care.
The most common worry is burglary（入室盗窃）, with four out of ten worrying about their homes 34 (break) into while they are abroad. More than a quarter feel they will feel crazy 35 some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and twenty-two percent worry they may be attacked 36 their possessions will be 37 (miss).
The survey also showed 38 the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, which was 39 increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americans 40 (prefer) to go on a self-catering（自助） holiday.
We may be very 31 (please) with the rapid progress we have made in every field of study, but we have almost done nothing to improve our present examination systems 32 focus on testing the students’ memory instead of their 33 ______ (able). As soon as a child begins school, he enters a world of examination 34 _________ will decide his future of job. In fact, a good examination system should encourage students to think 35 _________ themselves. But the examination now does nothing but that. It forces the students to remember 36 is taught to get high marks. Thus the students who come out first in the examination often many be the 37 (good) in their studies. In addition, such an examination system often 38 _____ (drive) teachers to cram all the time and forces them to train students what to do with the 39 ____ (come) examination.
There must be a better way to test a 40 (student) true ability as well as their knowledge.
Recently, a website has carried out a survey (31)________ the common view on graduates from Beijing University.
28% of the (32)__________(interview) companies think that they are quite (33)_______(satisfy) with the graduates from Beijing University. The graduates (34)______ their companies have a wide range of (35)________(know) and they learn things very quickly and easily.
(36)_________, most of the companies don’t think much (37)_________ graduates from Beijing University. In their eyes, the graduates always stick to their own opinions and lack the teamwork spirit (38)_________ working. Besides, they may not be satisfied with their jobs, even with big companies, and they usually ask for too much. (39)_______ a result, 34% of the companies insist that they will not employ graduates from Beijing University.
In brief, society and (40)________ the students themselves expect too much from graduates from Beijing University. That’s why a graduate claims that he is rubbish.