US president Barack Obama told students that it takes hard work in school to prepare for a rewarding career in his “back to school” speech, 36 last Tuesday in Virginia, US. Here is excerpt (节选)from his speech:
I know that sometimes, you get the 37 that you can be rich and successful without any hard work – 38 your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things. But the truth is, being successful is 39 .You won’t love every subject you study. Not every homework assignment will seem completely important to your life right this minute. And you may not succeed at 40 the first time you try.
That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most 41 .JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was 42 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was 43 his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said. “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures 44 you. No one’s 45 being good at things; you become good at things through hard work.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of 46 . It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new.
And even when you’re 47 , even when you’re discouraged, and when you feel like other people have given up on yourself, you won’t give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
36. A. addressed B. claimed C. delivered D. announced
37.A. feelings B. definition C. concept D. sense
38. A. that B. which C. what D. whatever
39. A. inaccessible B. hard C. rough D. unavailable
40.A, anything B. everything C. nothing D. something
41. A. effort B. attempts C. failures D. successes
42. A. denied B. turned away C. declined D. rejected
43. A. cut from B. cut off C. cut down D. cut in
44. A. confirm B. define C. identify D. prove
45. A. brought up B. raised C. fed D. born
46. A. strength B. courage C. weakness D. perseverance
47. A. struggling B. fighting C. trying D. succeeding
This economy has really got a lot of people moving and not always by a choice they wanted to make. My wife and I now find ourselves among those unfortunates feeling that 1 .
At the end of last year, our customers just 2 . We had to make the painful decision to3 our office and put our house up for 4 . We haven’t lived in it for two years yet and expected it would be the 5 one for a long time. How 6 this world economic mess is changing our lives!
As I get older, I find moving less adventurous and more 7 . This time, we’re in the process of moving without knowing where we’ll 8 next. Job searching has been thrown into the quagmire(困境) of an unsettled life. Both my wife and I had been feeling pretty 9 from all this. I’ve been challenged to find the positive in all this down that’s 10 us.
But then it happened while I watched my wife 11 things up. She’s an absolute whiz(能手) when it comes to packing. I took delight in watching her 12 just the right boxes for 13 in front of her and filling in the 14 with pillows and towels. I began feeling something like a wind lift me up and sail me through my own 15 of the packing and loading.
Some friends will be helping us with the 16 . I’ve told them that they’re not 17 friends but gaining some new vacation spots.
I have 18 that we’ll get through this transition finally. We all will always have work to do, by choice or 19 , and we can also consciously make the effort to create a sense of 20 in a new place.
A.pressure B.pleasure C.heat D.chance
A.stayed up B.turned up C.dried up D.came up
A.open B.close C.visit D.paint
A.help B.comparison C.decoration D.sale
A.last B.next C.only D.special
A.little B.quickly C.frequently D.well
A.dangerous B.common C.stressful D.interesting
A.return B.arrive C.study D.prepare
A.relaxed B.excited C.ashamed D.depressed
A.improving B.encouraging C.beating D.killing
A.packing B.washing C.pulling D.dividing
A.bring up B.keep up C.size up D.set up
A.others B.nothing C.another D.everything
A.cars B.gaps C.tanks D.holes
A.boat B.share C.wish D.promise
A.settling B.cooking C.cleaning D.moving
A.valuing B.losing C.inviting D.making
A.idea B.faith C.feeling D.opinion
A.otherwise B.indeed C.worse D.rather
A.panic B.connection C.humor D.home
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to 36in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the 37 ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too 38 for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of 39 .
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I sat down beside her. “Mom, I have a question to ask you. Is there 40 between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. She didn’t answer immediately. She 41 her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had42 her. I was 43 and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread.Sometimes it 44 , but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt 45 . If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread.It can hardly be seen 46 , but it’s really there. Love is 47 .”
I listened carefully but I 48 her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly 49 seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked 50 . It seemed both of them had had a serious illness. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father 51 on the country road.
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan, don’t 52 me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom.” 53 his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and 54 . But from this experience, I understand that love is just 55in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
A.keep fit B.rise early C.earn money D.collect money
A.magic B.romantic C.fantastic D.attractive
A.simple B.easy C.relaxing D.luxurious
A.the question B.question C.reach D.control
A.feeling B.love C.quarrel D.smile
A.raised B.shook C.nodded D.bowed
A.hurt B.injured C.wounded D.harmed
A.in great surprise B.in a great embarrassment C.with deep depression D.at extreme sorrow
A.happens B.comes about C.appears D.occurs
A.warm and soft B.hot and hard C.thin and cool D.strong and durable
A.somewhere and sometime B.anywhere or anytime C.more or less D.here and there
A.inside B.outside C.faraway D.nearby
A.could believe B.couldn’t understand C.wouldn’t recognize D.might know
A.got sick B.got stuck C.threw up D.became disabled
A.quite healthy B.very pale C.fairly red D.much surprised
A.jump high B.go hurriedly C.run fast D.walk slowly
A.think about B.talk with C.worry about D.laugh at
A.Reading B.Seeing C.Saying D.Writing
A.fresh roses B.gold ring C.sweet kisses D.beautiful jewelry
A.a thread B.a needle C.the cloth D.the cotton
There was a man who had a little boy that he loved very much.Every day after work the man would come home and 36 with the little boy.He would always 37 all of his extra time with the little boy.
One night, while the man was at work, he 38 that he had extra work to do for the evening, and that he wouldn't be able to play with his little boy.39 he wanted to be able to give the boy something to keep him 40.So, looking around his office, he saw a magazine with a large 41 of the world on the cover.He got a(n) 42 .He removed the map, and then patiently tore it up into small pieces.Then he put all the 43 in his coat pocket.
When he got home, the little boy came 44 to him and was ready to play. The man 45 that he had extra work to do and couldn't play just now.He 46 the little boy into the dining room, and 47 all the pieces of the map.He spread them on the table.He explained that it was a map of the world, and that by the time he could 48 together, his extra work would be 49_, and they could both play.Surely this would keep the child busy for hours, he thought.
About half an hour later the boy came to the man and said, "Okay, it's finished. Can we play now?" The man was50, saying, "That's impossible.Let's have a look" And 51 enough, there was the picture of the world, all put together every piece in its 52 .The man said, “That’s amazing! How did you do that?” The boy said, “It's 53.On the 54 of the page is a(n)55 of a man.When I put the man together the whole world fell into place.”
A.enjoy B.watch C.share D.play
A.take B.spend C.spare D.have
A.recognized B.told C.realized D.expected
A.However B.Or C.For D.But
A.happy B.busy C.excited D.silent
A.map B.picture C.figure D.image
A.information B.chance C.idea D.advice
A.world B.pieces C.paper D.magazine
A.running B.expecting C.shouting D.meeting
A.explained B.persuaded C.shouted D.discussed
A.asked B.ordered C.led D.showed
A.did up B.dealt with C.put out D.took out
A.look it up B.get it around C.put it back D.turn it over
A.finished B.wasted C.delivered D.filled
A.shocked B.surprised C.satisfied D.tired
A.beautiful B.sure C.right D.quite
A.way B.position C.side D.place
A.funny B.difficult C.simple D.interesting
A.back B.cover C.top D.front
A.picture B.impression C.sculpture D.shade
Never before had I imagined I should have the opportunity to live with so many girls.Would they 36 such a single “Hi” from me? I was about to greet my new roommates, 37 they did not seem to have the same 38 attention that I had.They just dealt with their own 39 , sorting out their clothes,and making arrangements for their university life.Thus tranquility(宁静)
became the 40 atmosphere in the dormitory.
To my surprise, 41 such a situation,I did not feel a sense of 42 .With time going on,we got to know each other deeper.I was 43 to find that in deep soul we all had great dreams and belonged to the same 44 .
However,not long before the 45 was disturbed by my own upset of mind for study pressure.What I was 46 about seemed to have 47 to do with them and what they were doing and talking about seemed so far away from me.However,one incident changed my 48 and made me treasure this kind of 49 better and more confident in our friendship.
One day,when I was leaving the teachers’ office,it was in complete silence and frightening 50 .At my dormitory gate,I was startled (使惊奇)to find there still 51 a little light glimmering in the darkness,so faint but yet so clear.Just under the 52 of the light,I went to the room without any difficulty.They were in sound sleep,leaving the 53 light on in the calm world.Tears rolled down my cheeks.
I know 54 that we all like tranquility,both in environment and in our mind.It is the care that 55 all the misunderstandings and unpleasantness.
A.hear B.accept C.expect D.like
A.but B.so C.and D.then
A.worried B.eager C.deep D.warm
A.homework B.meal C.business D.reading
A.silent B.other C.rest D.only
A.having B.thinking C.facing D.doing
A.surprise B.disappointment C.happiness D.warmth
A.pleased B.disappointed C.sorry D.sure
A.dormitory B.class C.pattern D.group
A.harmony B.friendship C.order D.arrangement
A.interested B.curious C.concerned D.doubtful
A.something B.anything C.nothing D.everything
A.idea B.life C.dormitory D.mind
A.calm B.friendship C.care D.situation
A.light B.darkness C.time D.feeling
A.happened B.had C.existed D.set
A.guidance B.calm C.shadow D.middle
A.bright B.rosy C.strong D.cold
A.at last B.on purpose C.at first D.once again
A.moves B.melts C.touches D.tears
James sat outside the office waiting for the interview. He felt so 36 that he didn’t know what to do with himself. The person who had gone in 37 him had been in there for nearly an hour. And she looked so confident when she went in, not like James. He felt 38 that she had already got the job. The problem was that he wanted his job so much. It meant everything to him. He had 39 it such a lot before the day of the interview. He had imagined himself 40 brilliantly(出色地)at the interview and being offered the job immediately. But now here he was feeling 41 . He couldn’t remember all those things he 42 to say. At that moment, he almost decided to get up and leave. But no – he had to do this. He had spent so much time considering it that he couldn’t 43 like that. His hands were hot and sticky and his mouth felt dry. At last the door of the office opened. The woman who had gone in an hour earlier came out looking very 44 with herself. She smiled sympathetically (同情地)at James. At the moment, James 45 her. The managing director then appeared at the office door. “would you like to come in now, Mr. Davis? I’m sorry to have kept you 46 .” James suddenly wished that he had gone home after all. He got up, legs 47 and forehead sweating and wondered he looked as terrified as he felt.
A.healthy B.nervous C.careless D.confident
A.by B.with C.before D.after
A.doubtful B.sure C.angry D.astonished
A.dreamed of B.learned of C.thought about D.talked about
A.explaining B.performing C.answering D.writing
A.mad B.excited C.certain D.terrible
A.had planned B.has planned C.planed D.would plan
A.take back B.put off C.give up D.put down
A.ugly B.pleased C.sad D.pretty
A.noticed B.loved C.missed D.hated
A.wait B.waiting C.being waiting D.waited
A.shaking B.bending C.broken D.stopped