A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.
The conversation soon turned into complaints about 36 in work and life. To offer his guests coffee, the 37 went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of 38 — porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some 39 , some expensive, some delicate — telling them to help themselves to the 40 .
When all the students 41 a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "If you have 42 , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been taken up, 43 the plain and cheap ones. While it is 44 for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 45 of your problems and stress. "
"Be assured that the cup itself adds no 46 to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even 47 what we drink. "
"What all of you really want is coffee, 48 the cup, but you 49 went for the best cups … And then you began 50 each other's cups. "
"Now consider 51 : Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain 52 , and the type of cup we have does not determine, nor 53 the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 54 to enjoy the coffee. Fully appreciate the coffee, not the cups! Don't let the cups 55 you ... enjoy the coffee instead.
A．stress B．progress C．condition D．pride
A．advisor B．professor C．monitor D．graduate
A．glasses B．bowls C．trays D．cups
A．plain-looking B．beautiful C．modern D．nice-looking
A．pot B．sugar C．milk D．coffee
A．made B．had C．cooked D．served
A．talked B．discussed C．noticed D．decided
A．leaving behind B．falling about C．leaving about D．falling behind
A．strange B．wonderful C．normal D．important
A．source B．purpose C．doubt D．result
A．price B．quality C．sweet D．color
A．proves B．tastes C．hides D．steals
A．more than B．less than C．other than D．rather than
A．consciously B．wisely C．shyly D．carelessly
A．showing B．eyeing C．exchanging D．praising
A．it B．that C．this D．one
A．jobs B．money C．position D．life
A．change B．increase C．discover D．lower
A．try B．manage C．fail D．plan
A．envy B．drive C．support D．assess
I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was and when I was 14 he said, “You’re never going to be but a failure.”
After five years of jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle-class girl. It was the best that could have happened to me. I I wanted to do something positive (积极地) with my life because I wanted to prove to that what people said about me was . Especially her mother, who had said to me, “Let’s it, you’ve failed at everything you’ve ever done.” So I tried hard with my and went to college. My first novel while I was at college.
After college I taught during the in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of that job to write full time I was offered a part-time job at Leeds University. I began to feel of myself — here was a working-class boy who’d school early, now teaching at the university.
My writing career (职业) took off when I discovered my own style. Now I’m rich and , have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. what does it mean? I wish all the people that have put me down had : “I believe in you. You’ll succeed.”
A．bright B．simple C．useless D．hopeful
A．anything B．something C．everything D．nothing
A．low B．poor C．good D．useful
A．support B．happiness C．surprise D．thing
A．agreed B．decided C．planned D．told
A．me B．them C．her D．it
A．wrong B．right C．stupid D．faulty
A．see B．know C．face D．understand
A．experiment B．practice C．writing D．composition
A．came on B．came in C．came out D．came back
A．day B．night C．month D．year
A．graduation B．pass C．degree D．success
A．giving in B．giving back C．giving out D．giving up
A．while B．if C．when D．or
A．shy B．proud C．happy D．surprised
A．left B．attended C．changed D．graduated
A．tired B．calm C．nervous D．famous
A．And B．But C．However D．Well
A．just B．exactly C．so D．very
A．praised B．said C．answered D．advised
“A” for Attitude
English was always my favorite subject. In my freshman year of high school, I could write a killer composition. In my second year, my teacher me to give spelling tests to the class. I had a time of my junior year. Mrs Alexander me to sit at her desk and take over the class when she had to leave the room. Only my senior English class was , as we had a teacher right out of college who expected work. Every student received a "C" or "D" grade the first quarter. But English was still my favorite subject.
I graduated from high school, early and had children. about my English, I often helped my kids with their English homework. And I wrote long articles and beautiful poetry as a columnist for a newspaper. Fifteen years later, I went to college, and because I had been an "A" student, I remained an "A" student. I up to my own expectations.
Yesterday, I my high school report cards when I was reading old papers. That bundle of report cards back the old days. I remembered sitting in my advisor's office, explaining that I had always be at English, and recommending that I did not deserve a '"D" from that inexperienced teacher of my senior year. The advisor was but unable to change a(an) . Reading through my old report cards revealed something else too. I wanted to them or hide them. I was not an "A" student in high school English! Somehow, I had myself of this, when the grades clearly reflected an average student with an "A" or "B" but mostly "C” S.
Had I lived up to those grades and myself according to those letters, I would have never confidently sought my writing career. Had I my early grades instead of myself, I would have allowed my fear of failure to enthusiasm and damage my creativity. Instead, I my younger self as an "A" English student, except for that undeserved "D".
A．scolded B．allowed C．ordered D．reminded
A．bad B．complex C．terrible D．wonderful
A．approved B．appointed C．expected D．urged
A．flexible B．creative C．disappointing D．controversial
A．college-level B．based C．difficult D．easy
A．married B．worked C．succeeded D．progressed
A．Sad B．Confident C．Anxious D．Curious
A．added B．lived C．grew D．went
A．counted B．remembered C．approached D．discovered
A．brought B．turned C．held D．kept
A．nervous B．good C．poor D．terrible
A．impolite B．impatient C．inexperienced D．sympathetic
A．grade B．figure C．paper D．entry
A．tear B．fire C．cry D．escape
A．warned B．reminded C．informed D．convinced
A．average B．enthusiastic C．outstanding D．occasional
A．considered B．denied C．reflected D．described
A．abandoned B．given C．believed in D．doubted
A．change B．risk C．defeat D．reminded
A．looked B．viewed C．sang D．criticized
One evening I was resting in a cafe. I a pair of newly bought white leather shoes, which were rather expensive. Then a boy came to me.
He was in a(n) shirt, looking pale and about eleven. No sooner had I begun to speak than he opened the i n his hand and took out the tools of shoe-polishing. He down, took off my leather shoes, and began to shine them.
He was busy doing his work heavy rain began to pour down.People rushed to the café for from the rain.More and more people crowded and gradually separated the boy from me.
Hours passed, and it turned.I had no shoes on my feet and where the boy had been.I thought he would not my shoes, and I would have to go home on my bare feet.
When it was near midnight the ended, and there were fewer and fewer people in the café. The café was to be .I had to move to the door, head . just as I went to the gate, I found that a boy of about eleven, looking very familiar, was sleeping at the with his head leaning against a boxand his upper body being . he held a package made of his shirt tightly in his arms.
I shook him slightly and woke him up. He up and rubbed his eyes for a while before he recognized me.Then he opened the package , gave me my leather shoes, and apologized to me shyly.I him and wrapped him with his unfit shirt, which had wrapped my leather shoes. On my way home, the of the boy stayed in my mind.
A．took B．wore C．mended D．owned
A．old B．unfit C．small D．dirty
A．bag B．package C．box D．suitcase
A．seated B．bent C．put D．looked
A．when B．after C．because D．since
A．protection B．rest C．hide D．preparation
A．out B．away C．in D．off
A．dark B．light C．dim D．bright
A．thought B．wondered C．guessed D．imagined
A．shine B．keep C．return D．carry
A．rain B．coffee C．time D．work
A．opened B．locked C．stopped D．closed
A．lowered B．dropped C．raised D．held
A．shortly B．surprisedly C．sadly D．immediately
A．table B．door C．bed D．cafe
A．wet B．bare C．pale D．cold
A．stayed B．say C．jumped D．got
A．finally B．suddenly C．unfriendly D．hurriedly
A．recognized B．forgave C．paid D．inspired
A．feature B．shirt C．image D．form
Working Christmas Day
It was unusually quiet in the emergency room on December 25．I was a nurse that day, sighing about having to work on Christmas．Just then five bodies showed up at my ，a pale woman and four small children．
“Are you all ? ” I asked doubtfully．
“Yes．”the woman said and lowered her head．
But when it came to the of their problems，things got a little strange．Two of the chlidren had headaches, weren’t accompanied by the normal symptoms of being ill．Two children had earaches，but only one could tell me which ear was ．The mother complained of a but seemed to work to produce it．
“It may be a little while a doctor sees you．” I explained．
“Take your time；it’s warm here．”She ．
Whne they were waiting，I checked the chart．They had no —they were homeless．The waiting room was warm．I looked out at the by the Christmas tree．The youngest one was saying to her mother．The oldest one was looking at the Christmas tree．
I went back to the nurses’ station and the homeless family in the waiting room．The nurses，complaining about the working Christmas，began to feel pity for a family just trying to get on Christmas．The team went into action，as we do when there’s a emergency, but this was a Christmas emergency．
We a simple dinner for our Christmas guests in the hospital cafeteria．They needed ，so we collected from different departments candies and other things that could be presents．
As the family walked to the door to leave，the four-year-old came running , gave me a hug and whispered，” Thanks for being our angel today．”
A．on business B．on holiday C．on duty D．on purpose
A．desk B．book C．computer D．chair
A．cold B．well C．sick D．poor
A．highly B．secrecy C．happily D．weakly
A．treatments B．descriptions C．suggestions D．solutions
A．or B．but C．and D．thus
A．controlled B．reflected C．attacked D．affected
A．break B．trouble C．mistake D．cough
A．before B．after C．until D．unless
A．hesitated B．announced C．responded D．regretted
A．identity B．address C．money D．problem
A．nurses B．doctors C．patients D．family
A．something B．nothing C．everything D．anything
A．informed B．mentioned C．rejected D．criticized
A．relaxed B．busy C．free D．warm
A．mental B．physical C．medical D．vital
A．shared B．enjoyed C．prepared D．delivered
A．medicine B．courage C．houses D．presents
A．cheap B．available C．healthy D．convenient
A．back B．forward C．around D．away
We live in a fast-paced and anxiety-filled world that oftentimes seems to shift beneath our feet. Thus we are sometimes affected by fears or anxiety impacting our life. For as long as I could remember I had struggled with anxiety. After I left university, I made friends with a Moroccan woman at work. One day she invited me to her and her family back home. I wanted to, but I would have to travel there and I knew we would be in a very rural area. How would I cope with my ?
Then one day it to me that I had a life to live. I could choose to let anxiety me or I could go to Morocco and something different. I was 23 years old and had never been out of the UK alone. The journey to Morocco something inside me. I managed to cope with my anxiety. The sense of was overwhelming and still to this day when I get afraid of going somewhere alone, I remember how it felt when I arrived in Morocco.
Upon arrival I was so for the generous welcome I received. My friend’s family had arranged a welcome party. The people were so loving toward me. As a moment of felt in a faraway village, this reminded me that I was “good enough”, which helped to my anxiety.
Waking up the next day, in the morning light, I saw the area where we were. I was by how rural it was – and the realization that these people had very few .
In the days afterwards, I traveled around Morocco. We went to Marrakesh and the Atlas mountains. We had the most amazing food – lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
At the end of my something inside me had changed. I realized I had not felt anxious for nearly two weeks.
Experiencing a different culture far away from home helped me to realize what is important in life, what really , and with that my anxiety . When I returned home I was much more active in my anxiety. Working with people, helping them their anxiety, is how I can share the love I found in Morocco.
A．send B．consult C．call D．visit
A．alone B．soon C．free D．safe
A．work B．curiosity C．homesickness D．worries
A．appeared B．hit C．struck D．occurred
A．impress B．control C．reach D．persuade
A．enjoy B．experience C．take D．experiment
A．changed B．moved C．supported D．impressed
A．achievement B．fear C．disappointment D．embarrassment
A．good B．ashamed C．afraid D．proud
A．sorry B．confused C．confident D．thankful
A．doubt B．luck C．love D．surprise
A．improve B．hold C．protect D．reduce
A．inspired B．moved C．pleased D．shocked
A．lands B．difficulties C．resources D．friends
A．discovered B．explored C．examined D．recognized
A．opportunity B．rush C．stay D．life
A．rules B．exists C．matters D．hurts
A．disappeared B．expanded C．remained D．removed
A．expressing B．challenging C．forgetting D．remembering
A．drop B．notice C．pass D．overcome