Personal Growth
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process.
People have generally viewed personal growth as an external (外部的，表面的) result or product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a promotion, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language — all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they gain new experiences and face unexpected difficulties. In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept.
In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to confront (正视) the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is essential to our ability to grow. Do we see ourselves as quick and curious? If so, then we tend to take more chances and to be more open to unfamiliar experiences. Do we think we’re shy and indecisive (优柔寡断)? Then we may hesitate, move slowly, and not take a step until we know the ground is safe. Do we think we’re slow to adapt to change or that we’re not smart enough to deal successfully with a new challenge? Then we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all.
These feelings of insecurity and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary for us to change and grow. If we do not confront and overcome these internal (内部的) fears and doubts, if we protect ourselves too much, then we cease (停止) to grow. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.In the author’s eyes, one who views personal growth as a process would _______.
| A．succeed in climbing up the social ladder |
| B．judge his ability to grow from his own achievements |
| C．face difficulties and take up challenges |
| D．aim high and reach his goal each time |
When the author says “a new way of being”, he is referring to ________.
| A．a new approach to experiencing the world | B．a new way of taking risks |
| C．a new method of understanding ourselves | D．a new system of adapting to change |
For personal growth, the author supports all of the following EXCEPT _______.
| A．curiosity about more chances | B．promptness (迅速) in self-adaptation |
| C．open-mindedness to new experiences | D．avoidance of internal fears and doubts |
The best title for this passage should be _________.
| A．Growth — Product or Process | B．Facing New Challenges |
| C．Two Basic Ways of Growth | D．Overcoming Internal Fears |
If man’s best friend is a dog, then who is a dog’s best friend? That would be Rover, Glow, Ivan or Raina. They recently donated (捐赠) blood to other dogs. And they did it without having to travel far from home: they visited an animal bloodmobile.
Like the Red Cross vehicles for humans, the University of Pennsylvania’s traveling vet lab goes to where the donors are to make it easier to give. The bloodmobile makes weekly rounds through Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Like humans, not every dog is qualified(合格的) to donate blood. The dogs are examined for health first. Dogs must have the correct blood type, weigh at least 55 pounds and be under 8 year old. About 150 dogs take part in the program. Each donates three or four pints(品脱) a year, which can help animals suffering from illness like cancer or an accident like being hit by a car.
Sandy Lucas brought her 7-year-old dog, Raina, to the bloodmobile last week. She said she wouldn’t have taken the dog to Penn Vet’s animal hospital in downtown Philadelphia, which is twice as far from her home. “I was very, very excited that she had the right blood that was needed to help another dog out,” said Lucas. “We’ll surely do it again.”
Just like people, the donors get a snack and a heart-shaped sticker immediately after giving. What’s more, they receive dog food to take home.
If dogs are doing what they can to save other dogs, why can’t we do it to save other people? Next time you hesitate(犹豫) over whether to donate blood or not, think of the dogs.The writer mentions Rover, Glow, Ivan and Raina in Para. 1 mainly because _________.
| A．they are man’s best friends. |
| B．they are common names for dogs. |
| C．they get along well with other dogs. |
| D．they have donated blood to other dogs. |
What do we know about the traveling vet lab?
| A．It is a Red Cross vehicle. |
| B．It collects dogs’ blood for other dogs. |
| C．It travels through Philadelphia every day. |
| D．It was donated by the University of Pennsylvania. |
What can we learn from Para.4?
| A．Sandy Lucas is unwilling to let her dog donate blood. |
| B．The bloodmobile welcomes dogs from anywhere in the city. |
| C．Penn Vet’s animal hospital in downtown Philadelphia is popular. |
| D．The animal bloodmobile has made it easier for dogs to donate blood. |
By writing the last paragraph, the author wants to ________.
| A．ask us to help dogs. |
| B．show the importance of dogs. |
| C．encourage us to donate blood. |
| D．compare humans with dogs. |
The following are a few cities with cheap attractions or restaurants in California, the US.
Cathedral City
The Indian Oven in the city will give you a high-quality dining experience. It’s a restaurant with traditional Indian dishes. All of the lunch specials are $5.95 and are served from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The windows of the restaurants give you the beautiful views of desert mountain scenes. You need to call 92234(760)770-3918 to book a table.
Palm Desert
Palm Desert, a city in Riverside County, has a number of free desert hiking trails(小径). They are named after famous Western Hollywood cowboys. The trails are fun to hike on. At some points they go up very high and you can get a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding desert cities. The paths are dusty, so bring some good hiking boots and hats. Do bring some water and your phone. It’s great for an afternoon hike after 2 pm. Call 92260(760)340-0574 or 92253(760)564-4712 to learn more.
Lake Cahuilla
Away from the busy streets of the city of Palm Springs, Lake Cahuilla is a great recreational(娱乐的) area you can visit in La Quinta. It is at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It costs $3.00 for per person to enter the area, but a half for kids under 7. The activities include: camping, fishing, bicycling, and horseback riding. If you want to save on rooms, you can stay in an RV. Call 92278(760)664-7215 and you’ll learn something else.The desert hiking trails__________.
| A．are named after some famous people |
| B．reach the top of some high mountains. |
| C．provide visitors with free water and food. |
| D．have attracted many well-known cowboys. |
If you want to know more about the restaurants in Lake Cahuilla, you can call __________.
| A．92260(760)340-0574 | B．92278(760)664-7215 |
| C．92234(760)770-3918 | D．92253(760)564-4712 |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．the Indian Oven must be a well-known restaurant in India. |
| B．kids enjoy the hiking trails in Palm Desert at half price. |
| C．Palm Desert has been badly polluted by human activities. |
| D．staying in an RV costs less than staying in a hotel room. |
The ancient city is in Pingyao county, Shanxi Province. The city wall was first built during the Zhou Dynasty. Since 1997, it has been listed as a World Heritage Site. Now Pingyao city is the only one in China completely protected as it was hundreds of years ago.
The perimeter(周长) of this square city is 6.4km long and the city wall is the earliest and largest city wall in China. It is 12 m high with width of 5 m. The wall was built with earth and covered with bricks. Outside the city wall there is a river, 4 m wide and 4 m deep.
There are several gates of the city, two each on the east and west and one each on the south and north side. All the gates have two doors each. This has given the city the name “Turtle City” with the two gates on the south and north standing for the head and tail of the turtle and four gates on the east and west as the four legs. The doors on the south and north stand opposite each other, like the head of the turtle extending out and two wells just beyond southern gate are like a turtle’s two eyes.
Located on the trade route between Beijing and Xi’an, Pingyao developed into a merchant center where the local people set up the nation’s earliest banks. These banks were the first in China to use checks.
Several old courtyards have been turned into museums, most of which were homes and offices of Pingyao’s old banks. One of the most unusual aspects of a visit here is realizing that this place was very important to China’s financial(金融的) history. What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The ancient city—Pingyao. |
| B．China’s ancient financial center—Pingyao. |
| C．The city wall of Pingyao. |
| D．The museums in Pingyao. |
How many gates are there in Pingyao city?
| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
Which gate in Pingyao city stands for the head of the turtle?
| A．The gate on the north. |
| B．The gate on the south. |
| C．The gate on the east. |
| D．The gate on the west. |
It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that__________.
| A．Pingyao city played an important role in ancient China’s finance. |
| B．museums in Pingyao city are now used for bank offices. |
| C．Pingyao city was one of the largest cities in ancient China. |
| D．old banks in ancient Pingyao city used checks only. |
We always read reports about costs of oil going up and we will think this is our most valuable material. However, water is the most valuable resource(资源). People in the Middle East are more worried about this than oil. Maybe the next war will be about water.
In the future, to control the quality and quantity(数量), you will use different water for different usages. The water used to wash your car, water your flowers or wash your clothes doesn’t need to be as clean as the water you drink.
One in five people live in countries without enough fresh water and in 25 years, the number is believed to be one in every three people. Our world population is increasing. What do you suppose this will suggest for us in the future? Population control?
Traditional management of the water industry has been out of date since the 1990s. When technologies develop so rapidly in the world, we have loads of information for technologies in the business world, but in the water industry we don’t have any.
Britain and France have already taken measures to successfully improve their water industries. All the water services in Britain have been provided by private(私有的) companies since 1991. Since then, improvement has been made in the rules for their water quality and pricing.
What can you do now for the future? Using water more efficiently(有效地) in your house can make a great difference not only to the world but to your money. Even if you don’t have to pay much now, you will when you start to pay big prices for different water usages.Water shortage is getting more serious because ______________.
| A．the world population is growing up. |
| B．there will be more wars about water. |
| C．people don’t have efficient management of the water industry. |
| D．water services will be provided only by private companies. |
Britain has improved their water quality by ___________.
| A．raising the price of water. |
| B．reducing water pollution. |
| C．changing the management of the water industry. |
| D．opening more private companies for water services. |
Which is the author’s suggestion for us?
| A．Paying less money for water |
| B．Buying more water for future use. |
| C．Using different water for different usages. |
| D．Using as little water as possible in cooking. |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Save water and save money |
| B．Easy ways to cut down on your water usage |
| C．Why you should teach your children to save water |
| D．Water is our precious resource—start to save it now |
Planning to go to a gym? If you are one of those who have spent many days planning to join a gym or to attend it regularly, then why not choose some home exercise? Here are some home exercises without equipment.
Jumping jacks
This one is the best home workout without weights which is a great exercise that will work your hands and legs. Perform this exercise by standing with your feet placed together and arms at your sides. Now tuck in your abs(收腹) and jump by bending in your knees. At the same time, move your feet apart as much as you can and raise your hands to bring in line with your shoulder. While you come back you must be in a starting position, feet together, hands at sides and knees bent. You must land on your heels and again jump.
Jogging
Jogging is one of the best home exercises without weights. You don’t need to have a lawn or jogging track at home to perform this exercise. There are many benefits of jogging. It will work your entire legs. Moreover, it is a classic cardiovascular(心血管) workout. Make sure you wear jogging footwear even if you are jogging at home to avoid any stress on your feet. Also, you can gradually increase the jogging time and speed.
Rotating(旋转) exercise
Start by rotating your wrists, clockwise(顺时针地) and anticlockwise. Now, alternately rotate your feet in the same fashion. Now place both your hands on the shoulder and start rotating your shoulder clockwise and anticlockwise. Place an exercise mat and lie flat on your back. Now lift your left leg and rotate it clockwise; do not bend you knees. Now rest the left leg, lift your right leg and rotate it anticlockwise.
It is necessary to set a perfect mood for exercise which will help you stick to the exercise routine and excitement. Make sure you wear proper exercise clothes to perform the workout with ease. Also, putting on your favorite music will make your exercise session more lively. If you get bored with exercises, just dance, after all it’s also one of the best home exercises.To carry out jumping jacks effectively, you________.
| A．need to keep your two feet apart at first. |
| B．must stand straight first and bend your abs. |
| C．must use your arms to support your body. |
| D．need to use your heels to touch the ground. |
What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
| A．You may exercise your body entirely by jogging at home. |
| B．It may do harm to your feet to jog at home without shoes. |
| C．You’d better choose a space as the jogging track at home. |
| D．You must stick to a fixed time and speed while jogging. |
What is the right order of your body parts during rotation exercise?
| A．hands—legs---back----legs. |
| B．wrists—hands---feet---shoulders |
| C．wrists---feet---shoulders---legs |
| D．hands---shoulders---knees---legs |
To carry out home exercises continuously, you need________.
| A．a good atmosphere. | B．a good coach. |
| C．a dance teacher | D．a good timer. |