Who’s in control of your life? Who is pulling your string? For the majority of us, it’s other people—society, colleagues, friends, family or our religious community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young, of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it, “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry(模仿), their passions a quotation.”
So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and limited lives, failing to do the things we really want to. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsened lives to keep getting their fix (一剂毒品). We worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval.
But, just as with any drug, there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom—the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda, and they come with their own baggage and, in the end, they're more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted and probably pleasing no one in the process.
So how can we take back control? I think there’s only one way—make a conscious decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values---not values imposed(强加)from the outside by others, but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others, we will live a more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life.What Oscar Wilde says implies that _____________.
A.we have thoughts similar to those of others |
B.most people have a variety of thoughts |
C.most people’s thoughts are controlled by others |
D.other people’s thoughts are more important |
What does the author try to argue in the third paragraph ?
A.We may lose ourselves to please others. |
B.Changing opinions may cost us our freedom. |
C.We need to pay for what we want to get. |
D.The price of taking drugs is freedom. |
In order to live a happy, effective and purposeful life, we should _________.
A.care about others’ opinions and change opinions all the time |
B.guide ourselves by means of values from the outside |
C.persuade others to accept our opinions |
D.stick to our own values |
It can be concluded from the passage that __________.
A.we shouldn’t care what others think | B.it’s better to do what we like |
C.we shouldn't change our own opinions | D.it’s important to accept others’ opinions |
My Best Enemy
Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Lisa. That’s where the similarities ended.
I was tall and she was small. My thick black hair had been recently cut short into an untidy style. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was 12 and one of the oldest in the class while she was 11 and the youngest. I was awkward and shy. She wasn’t. I couldn’t stand her, considering her my enemy. But she liked me and wanted to be friends.
One day, she invited me over and I said yes—I was too shocked to answer any other way. My family had moved six times in six years, and I had never managed to develop any friendships. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school.
She lived in a fun part of town that had two pizza places, an all-night bookstore, a movie theater and a park. As we walked from the school bus stop through her neighborhood, I tried to guess which house might be hers. Was it the white one with the perfect lawn or the three-story house with a front porch? I got very surprised when she led me into an old apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother,her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister.
When we got into the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Babies, which was my next surprise. I had never played with them. We sat on the floor,laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Babies. We found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon.
Lisa was loved by the whole neighborhood. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines; the movie theater gave her free tickets… Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other’s houses and spent every free moment together.
Lisa, my first real friend since childhood, helped me get through the rough year of early adolescence(青春期) and taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: that your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.The writer and Lisa were similar in the way that_____.
A.they were of the same age | B.they had the same hair styles |
C.they were both tall | D.they were both new students |
One day Lisa invited the writer______ .
A.to go to her home | B.to go to the movie |
C.to go to a park | D.to go to a pizza place |
In the passage the writer described Lisa as a girl who was ______
A.awkward and shy | B.rich and happy |
C.friendly and lovely | D.quiet and lonely |
Which of the following did the writer learn from Lisa?
A.How to make up stories. | B.How to deal with enemies. |
C.How to live a better life. | D.How to make friends. |
Ad.1
West High School Bake Sale
Come and support our band and buy some delicious baked goods!
Friday, September 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
In the hall by the office after school
Cookies: 25 cents each or 5 for $1
Brownies: 50 cents each or 3 for $1.25
Cake by the slice: $1
Whole cakes: $8
Proceeds go toward sending our band to Nationals.
Ad.2
SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES
Ups or U.S. Parcel Post are the standard methods for continental U.S. shipments.
ORDER TOTAL GROUND EXPEDITED GROUND
9-12 working days 4-5 working days
$0.00 to $30.00 $4.50 $5.50
$30.01 to $60.00 $7.25 $8.25
$60.01 to $100.00 $9.50 $10.50
$100.01 to $200.00 $11.50 $12.50
Add $7.00 to Ground Rates for 3 Days.How much money can you save if you buy 3 brownies?
A.25 cents. | B.50 cents. | C.75 cents. | D.1.25 dollars. |
Which of the following gives you the most for your money if you buy the baked goods?
A.4 cookies. | B.2 brownies. | C.5 cookies. | D.One slice of cake. |
If you wish to receive an order totaling $90.00 within 3 days, how much would the shipping cost?
A.$10.50. | B.$16.50. | C.$15.00. | D.$26.50. |
How much should you pay for an order totaling $50 for the expedited ground?
A.$1 | B.$7.25 | C.$8.25 | D.$15.5 |
Many people like to eat at a favorite restaurant on their birthday. 71Here are the tips about how to eat for free on your birthday.
Notice promotional (促销的) cards or signs at restaurants for their e-club or online notification of special offers. Sometimes it is called a birthday club. In some cases they ask for your email address and at other times, you register online from your own computer. 72
If you don’t know whether your favorite restaurant has an e-club, look them up online. Just search their name if it’s a chain. Look over the webpage for anything that says SIGN UP or JOIN. It may call it an e-club.
You will receive e-mail advertisements from them. 73if it asks for birthday and anniversary dates when you sign up, then the restaurant usually will send you a personal coupon and invitation for that event.
Check your e-mail the week leading up to your birthday. All the e-clubs that you signed up for will be sending their invitations.
Read the fine print on all the offers before deciding where to eat on your birthday. Some are only on the exact date. 74There may be other requirements, like free dessert when you buy an entree (主菜).
Choose the most inviting offer or over several days, take advantage of free dining opportunities. __75
A.Anyway, look around for these offers and get signed up. |
B.However, others may be for any time over a two-week period. |
C.But how can we eat better in a free restaurant? |
D.It would be an even greater treat if the meal or part of the meal were free. |
E.Why not celebrate your birthday for a whole week, not just one day?
F.Often the advertisements will include discount coupons(优惠券).
G.So don’t go to such restaurant.
D
You may picture firefighters holding a hose (水管) outside of a burning building, but the Golden Eagles Hotshots don’t fight fires quite that way. When they go into action, you may not even see a fire truck.
The Hotshots are firefighters who battle fires in wildness areas. But don’t think you’ll only find them in their home state California. Wherever there is a national wildfire emergency, the Golden Eagles Hotshots could be there.
But these firefighters don’t work the same way as firefighters in a big city. They work in areas where there are a large number of trees, bushes, and grass. They climb up and down steep hills to clear brush and burnable debris(残骸). They sometimes use water, but they often fight fire with fire!
They do that by lighting what are called “backfires,” which are small, controlled fires that burn up fuel in the path of large wildfires. That way, when the wildfire gets there, it has nothing to burn and nowhere to go, because all the burnable fuel has already gone up in smoke.
The Hotshots also clear away fuel using old-fashioned hard work. For example, they use a saw to cut away trees and heavy brush that could catch fire.
Of course there are times when the Golden Eagles Hotshots do have trucks to supply water to the fires. But the water is limited, and these guys have to rely on hard work more than anything. Physical fitness is very important. They have to be in great physical shape to handle steep hills and difficult terrain(地形) while carrying a 60-pound pack.
The Golden Eagles Hotshots definitely work hard for their pay. But thanks to their efforts, many lives have been saved, many houses have not burned, and countless trees are still standing.67. The firefighters mentioned in the passenger.
A.do much of their work in California |
B.avoid climbing steep hills in their work |
C.do their work equipped with advanced tools. |
D.carry out their work mostly in forests and mountains. |
68. According to the passage, why do the firefighters light “backfires”?
A.To signal for help. | B.To remove obstacles. |
C.To protect trees and bushes. | D.To prevent the fire from spreading. |
69. What can we learn about the Golden Eagles Hotshots?
A.They are firefighters working in big cities. |
B.Their work requires physical strength. |
C.They are voluntary firefighters working for free. |
D.They usually hold a hose to put out the fires. |
70. What is the author’s attitude towards the Golden Eagles Hotshots?
A.Appreciative | B.Doubtful | C.Worried | D.Critical |
American Girl
It’s packed with the things that matter most to girls: party plans, games, crafts and girl-to-girl advice.
American Girl is an appealing, age-appropriate teen magazine that allows young girls to be themselves.
The magazine features fun contests, puzzles, giggles, and more! Stories, creative games, cool contests and great sports tips for girls aged 7-11 are available in each issue of American Girl magazine.
Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $ 27.95 Sale price: $22.95
Ladybug
Beautiful, colorful, and delightful to read, each issue is filled with charming read-aloud stories, games for memory and skill building, songs, poems, and activities for beginning readers. Parents can visit our online Parents Companion that recommends additional activities, crafts, and books.
Issues per year:9 Cover price: $44.50 Sale price: $33.95
Cicada
A monthly magazine for teenagers and young adults aged 14 and up. It offers high-quality fiction and poetry dealing with the issue of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and becoming an adult. Cicada magazine also encourages its teen readers to submit their own writing for publication. It’s so inspiring and humorous that you will not be able to put it down.
Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $51.00 Sale price: $33.95
Sorts Illustrated for Kids
It covers sports kids like. Featuring interviews with sports heroes, entertaining comics, breathtaking action photos, tips from the pros (职业运动员), news items of recent notes, games, puzzles, cartoons, fiction, advice from athletes, etc. Sports Illustrated for Kids is a magazine for children aged 8 and up.
Issues per year:12 Cover price:$47.88 Sale price: $ 24.9564. Which of the four magazines is the most suitable for a 4-year-old child?
A.American Girl | B.Ladybug | C.Cicada | D.Sports Illustrated for Kids |
65. American Girl is a magazine different from the others because_______.
A.it features fun stories and great sports tips |
B.it’s written specially for girls |
C.it offers high-quality fiction and poetry |
D.it comes out six times per year |
66. If you order a magazine with interviews with sports heroes for one year, how much can you save?
A.$5.00 | B.$10.55 | C.$17.05 | D.$22.93 |