We often talk about ourselves as if we have permanent genetic defects （缺陷） that can never be changed. “I’m impatient.” “I’m always behind.” “I always put things 36 !” You’ve surely heard them. Maybe you’ve used them to describe 37 .
These comments may come from stories about us that have been 38 for years—often from 39 childhood. These stories may have no 40 in fact. But they can set low expectations for us. As a child, my mother said to me, “Marshall, you have no mechanical （操作机械的） skills, and you will never have any mechanical ski
lls for the rest of your life.” How did these expectations 41 my development? I was never 42 to work on cars or be around 43 . When I was 18, I took the US Army’s Mechanical Aptitude Test. My scores were in the bottom for the entire nation!
Six years later, 44 , I was at California University, working on my doctor’s degree. One of my professors, Dr. Bob Tannbaum, asked me to write down things I did well and things I couldn’t do. On the positive side, I 45 down, “research, writing, analysis, and speaking.” On the 46 side, I wrote, “I have no mechanical skills.”
Bob asked me how I knew I had no mechanical skills. I explained my life 47 and told him about my 48 performance on the Army test. Bob then asked, “ 49 is it that you can solve 50 mathematical problems, but you can’t solve simple mechanical problems?”
Suddenly I realized that I didn’t 51 from some sort of genetic defect. I was just living out expectations that I had chosen to 52 . At that point, it wasn’t just my family and friends who had been 53 my belief that I was mechanically hopeless. And it wasn’t just the Army test, either. I was the one who kept telling myself, “You can’t do this!” I realized that as long as I kept saying that, it was going to remain true. 54 , if we don’t treat ourselves as if we have incurable genetic defects, we can do well in almost 55 we choose.
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A hoped B. demanded C. encouraged D. agreed
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The other day, I happened to meet someone I hadn’t seen for many years. I couldn’t believe the change in him. In fact, he didn’t even seem like the36 person.
When I first knew Bill, back in 37 , he was one of the most carefree (无忧无虑) people I had ever 38 . He was always ready to have a party. He thought 39 of going out for beer at three o’clock in the morning or driving 50 miles to see an old 40 he really liked. Bill and I were in the same class in college, and 41 was never dull when he was 42 . With him there was one wild 43 after another. Sometimes I wonder how we 44 to study for our exams.
Last week I was in <<Houston>> on business and I ran into Bill in the bar at the hotel. 45 , I wasn’t even sure it was 46 . Was this short-haired businessman really the same person? I wasn’t really sure until I came near him but it indeed was Bill. Now he works for a bank. He 47 most of the evening about his job, his new car and his house. How he had changed! Back when we were in college, the 48 thing Bill cared about was possessions. Now they seemed to be his main 49 . Although I have changed quite a bit myself, somehow, I never 50 Bill changing so much. My image of him 51 the one I had formed52 the time when we were college students together.
I suppose it’s 53 to expect people to remain the same, especially 54 I have changed so much myself. But I must say that I enjoyed the old Bill much more than the new Bill. Maybe he 55 the same way about me.
A．proper B．same C．usual D．right
A．childhood B．the army C．his thirties D．college
A．considered B．supposed C．met D．expected
A．nothing B．much C．most D．none
A．man B．hospital C．movie D．country
A．learning B．life C．work D．fun
A．in B．out C．away D．around
A．adventure B．mistake C．chance D．joke
A．decided B．intended C．managed D．hoped
A．First of all B．At first C．Now and then D．All the time
A．that B．us C．there D．him
A．thought B．talked C．argued D．spent
A．first B．last C．next D．only
A．interest B．event C．subject D．problem
A．forgot B．minded C．liked D．imagined
A．remained B．reminded C．suggested D．became
A．since B．from C．at D．till
A．unnecessary B．foolish C．common D．unusually
A．because B．that C．how D．when
A．felt B．acted C．looked D．discovered
Not long before, my daughter's shoes were scratched with a knife．She burst into 36 ．I took them to the shoemaker to get them 37 ．
The young apprentice （学徒） glanced at the opening and said, " 38 I can do except replace the upper．" His master looked at them and said to me, "If you 39 me, I will add more scratches on both of the shoes．"
I was 40 and asked why．
He explained, "As if the openings were made 41 for the sake of special style and reuse．"
Two days later I found there were indeed more scratches on 42 shoe, but all the openings were patched （打补丁） by soft red leather with edges sewed by thick thread, 43 more unique and interesting than ever．I couldn't help but 44 the master's skill．
Another time, my wife's sister's white blouse had been torn, leaving a large opening on the back．My wife 45 the blouse carefully, and then said, "Let me take it 46 _ and mend it．"
Seeing the blouse again, I was shocked: all the torn parts had been sewed up by thin and 47 thread and they 48a look of ice crystal （冰晶） hanging from a winter's branch． 49 , she had attached a snowman and a cabin made of flowery cotton rags onto the shirt．I 50 with praise, "It's just as beautiful as a piece of 51 !"
"I was inspired by that craftsman．Patches are supposed to be 52 , but a skillful craftsman can make it take on a kind of perfection," replied my wife．
Her words inspired me even more: Perfection is 53 to achieve in everything; Patches are unavoidable, so is human's life．Since you can't 54 the existence of wound, you should not expect people's 55 by exposing the wound, which reveals nothing meaningful．
A．laughter B．cheers C．tears D．speech
A．made B．repaired C．decorated D．preserved
A．Anything B．Something C．Everything D．Nothing
A．trust B．inform C．appoint D．convince
A．annoyed B．confused C．disappointed D．discouraged
A．on purpose B．by accident C．in vain D．beyond control
A．neither B．any C．every D．each
A．remaining B．growing C．looking D．feeling
A．appreciate B．witness C．praise D．describe
A．delivered B．checked C．washed D．ironed
A．outside B．downtown C．home D．abroad
A．red B．white C．pink D．purple
A．took on B．put on C．decided on D．focused on
A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．Anyway D．Besides
A．sighed B．signed C．greeted D．paused
A．cake B．art C．furniture D．jewellery
A．pretty B．attractive C．tough D．ugly
A．easy B．improper C．likely D．impossible
A．change B．imagine C．stand D．prove
A．respect B．friendship C．sympathy D．apology
完型填空 （共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
A Fool’s Day falls on 1st of April. People _31_forget the significance （意义） of the day.
In March 1980, I was 32at Durham University with seven other Chinese students. I had 33 to go to another university after graduation and had 34 application (申请) forms to several 35 . Every morning I arrived at the porter’s office (传达室) and waited my fate. But no 36 came.
On April 1st, as I was eating my 37 , Huang came in , with a toothbrush(牙刷)38 in his hand. 39 fearing that he might forget the important news , he passed me the 40 . “Morning , Wu,” he said , “I saw Mr. G this morning. He told me that a letter had arrived in his office for you from Manchester University, and asked you to go and get it 41 possible.” I jumped with 42 .
I even didn’t 43 my breakfast and rushed to Mr. G’s office but he wasn’t44 . I then went to the secretary’s room and 45 everything to her. She opened Mr. G’s room. I looked at everything. There didn’t seem to be a letter for me. “If he had asked you to pick it up from here,” said the secretary , “ he would have put it in 46 or simply left it to me.”
Greatly 47 , I walked out of the room and 48 the secretary lock it. 49 the secretary’s eyes 50 . “Sorry,” she said. “It’s April Fool’s Day!”
A sometimes B. never C. always D. seldom
A．staying B．working C．visiting D．studying
A．continued B．planned C．went D．remembered
A．returned B．taken C．brought D．sent
A．people B．colleges C．cities D．offices
A．application B．report C．reply D．chance
A．dinner B．lunch C．supper D．breakfast
A．still B．even C．yet D．already
A．Because of B．As if C．After D．While
A．message B．sign C．letter D．notice
A．if B．as soon as C．when D．as fast as
A．the news B．the letter C．joy D．luck
A．take B．finish C．eat D．have
A．anywhere B．in C．at D．away
A．asked B．tells C．explained D．answered
A．the office B．his desk C．the room D．an obvious（明显的） place
A．disappoint B．disappointed C．disappointing D．disappointment
A．let B．noticed C．saw D．got
A．Quickly B．Strangely C．Finally D．Suddenly
A．closed B．opened C．brightened D．darkened
完型填空 （共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
A Fool’s Day falls on 1st of April. People _31_forget the significance （意义） of the day.
In March 1980, I was 32at Durham University with seven other Chinese students. I had 33 to go to another university after graduation and had 34 application (申请) forms to several 35 . Every morning I arrived at the porter’s office (传达室) and waited my fate. But no 36 came.
On April 1st, as I was eating my 37 , Huang came in , with a toothbrush(牙刷)38 in his hand. 39 fearing that he might forget the important news , he passed me the 40 . “Morning , Wu,” he said , “I saw Mr. G this morning. He told me that a letter had arrived in his office for you from Manchester University, and asked you to go and get it 41 possible.” I jumped with 42 .
I even didn’t 43 my breakfast and rushed to Mr. G’s office but he wasn’t44 . I then went to the secretary’s room and 45 everything to her. She opened Mr. G’s room. I looked at everything. There didn’t seem to be a letter for me. “If he had asked you to pick it up from here,” said the secretary , “ he would have put it in 46 or simply left it to me.”
Greatly 47 , I walked out of the room and 48 the secretary lock it. 49 the secretary’s eyes 50 . “Sorry,” she said. “It’s April Fool’s Day!”
A sometimes B. never C. always D. seldom
A．staying B．working C．visiting D．studying
A．continued B．planned C．went D．remembered
A．returned B．taken C．brought D．sent
A．people B．colleges C．cities D．offices
A．application B．report C．reply D．chance
A．dinner B．lunch C．supper D．breakfast
A．still B．even C．yet D．already
A．Because of B．As if C．After D．While
A．message B．sign C．letter D．notice
A．if B．as soon as C．when D．as fast as
A．the news B．the letter C．joy D．luck
A．take B．finish C．eat D．have
A．anywhere B．in C．at D．away
A．asked B．tells C．explained D．answered
A．the office B．his desk C．the room D．an obvious（明显的） place
A．disappoint B．disappointed C．disappointing D．disappointment
A．let B．noticed C．saw D．let
A．Quickly B．Strangely C．Finally D．Suddenly
A．closed B．opened C．brightened D．darkened
The letter was a great disappointment to me. It was from Holy Cross, the only school I really wanted to 41 . I scanned the page, “…. We had a great applicant pool this year. …We can’t offer spaces to 42 … and place you on our waiting list.”
“What does it say, honey?” my dad asked, his voice full of 43 for me.
“I didn’t get in, but I’m on the waiting list.”
“Well, at least it isn’t 44 ,” he said brightly.
“Yeah, but 45 , I don’t want to be on the waiting list; I want to be 46 . No one gets in off the waiting list. It’s a way of saying ‘Thanks for 47 ’.”
“Then let’s go out there and tell them so.”
“That sounds 48 , dad.” I said sadly, “It doesn’t work.”
Upset and annoyed, I 49 myself in my room. However，my father’s advice kept 50 in my head. I thought about it for a few days, finally coming to the 51 that he was right. And the next day I seated myself across from Mr. Luis Soto, my admissions officer.
“What can I do for you, Nacie?” he asked pleasantly.
“Well, sir, I am here to tell you that I love this school and would love a 52 to be here. I just wanted to tell you how much going here would 53 to me—it is my only dream college— and that I would use my time here to the best 54 . I wanted to let you know that if you gave me a chance and reconsidered my application, you wouldn’t 55 it.” The words had poured out 56 I could stop them or check their desperate tone.
Mr. Soto looked me over for a minute before he smiled broadly.
“OK, that is the kind of thing we love to hear. Congratulations, you’re in.”
It was so 57 and I asked, “I’m sorry?”
“We want people in the class who want to be here, who will 58 the best of this education. I’m glad you came to talk 59 to me. I’m happy to offer you a position in the Class of 2009.”
The whole experience taught me a lesson: if you truly want something, never, ever 60 .
A．attend B．study C．admit D．visit
A．everyone B．anyone C．someone D．no one
A．trust B．pity C．anxiety D．curiosity
A．admission B．imagination C．restriction D．rejection
A．ever B．again C．also D．still
A．recognized B．received C．accepted D．permitted
A．writing B．trying C．replying D．waiting
A．lame B．reasonable C．painful D．practical
A．enjoyed B．comforted C．stayed D．buried
A．saying B．ringing C．showing D．reminding
A．point B．conclusion C．agreement D．arrangement
A．chance B．motivation C．degree D．change
A．refer B．turn C．mean D．stick
A．contribution B．condition C．advantage D．result
A．suspect B．disappoint C．refuse D．regret
A．as B．when C．until D．before
A．unbelievable B．unforgettable C．unbearable D．favorable
A．take B．get C．make D．receive
A．patiently B．openly C．carefully D．calmly
A．get through B．give up C．keep on D．try out
