I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game — a serious game — two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn’t know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the distractionof being anxious about winning or losing.
The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. Then came the second quarter. The Team One coach pulled out what must have been his first team and put in the scrubs(替补队员), except for his best player who now guarded the goal.
The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even when you’re five years old — because the Team Two coach left his best players in, and the Team One scrubs were no match for them. Team Two packed around the little guy who was now the Team One goalkeeper. He was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were also very good. Team Two began to score. The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying bravely to stop them.
Team Two scored two goals in quick succession. It angered the young boy. He became a raging maniac — shouting, running, diving. With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he repositioned himself, it was too late — they scored a third goal.
I soon learned who the goalkeeper’s parents were. They were nice, decent-looking people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office — he still had his suit and tie on. They yelled encouragement to their son. I became totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field and his parents on the sidelines.
After the third goal, the little kid changed. He didn’t quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. His father changed, too. He had been urging his son to try harder — yelling advice and encouragement. But then he became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay — to hang in there. He sorrowed for the pain his son was feeling.
After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. The little boy fetched the ball from the net and handed it to the referee(裁判). He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees, and he cried the tears of the helpless and brokenhearted.
At that moment, I saw the father start onto the field. His wife seized his arm and said, “Jim, don’t. You’ll embarrass him.” But he tore loose from her and ran onto the field. Suit, tie, dress shoe, and all — he charged onto the field, and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was his boy, and he hugged him and held him and cried with him. I’ve never been so proud of a man in my life.
He carried him off the field, and when he got close to the sidelines I heard him say, “Scotty, I’m so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son.”
“Daddy,” the boy sobbed. “I couldn’t stop them. I tried, Daddy, but they scored on me.”
“Scotty, it doesn’t matter how many times they scored on you. You’re my son, and I’m proud of you. I want you to go back there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can’t. And, son, you’re going to get scored on again, but it doesn’t matter. In my eyes, you are the winner! Go on, now.”
The little guy ran back onto the field — and they scored two more times — but it was okay. Now in all viewers’ eyes, he is the Winner.
When you’re all alone, and you’re getting scored on — and you can’t stop them — it means a lot to know that it doesn’t matter to those who love you. In their eyes, so long as you don’t give up, you are the winner. And they are always proud of you.The phrase “took a dramatic turn” (Paragraph 3) can best be replaced by ______.
A.went on smoothly | B.changed greatly |
C.attracted less attention | D.got interrupted |
Which detail from the story can reflect the little boy’s losing confidence?
A.The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body. |
B.He became a raging maniac — shouting, running, diving. |
C.With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball. |
D.He didn’t quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. |
Why did the boy’s mother try to stop her husband running onto the field?
A.She thought it would only make his son feel awkward. |
B.She hoped her son could gather courage and cheer himself up. |
C.She considered it useless to encourage his son at that time. |
D.She knew it was not allowed when the game was still in progress. |
Which words can best describe the change of the writer’s feelings when watching the game?
A.curious → anxious → grateful |
B.bored → upset → delighted |
C.calm → absorbed → moved |
D.surprised → thoughtful → interested |
Which can be seen as the climax (the most important point) of the story?
A.The boy’s going to his knees and bursting into tears helplessly. |
B.Team Two’s scoring another two goals after the boy went back to the field. |
C.The boy’s fighting bravely in face of Team Two’s excellent performance. |
D.The father’s running onto the field and encouraging his son not to give up. |
The best title for the story is ______.
A.A Proud Father | B.An Amazing Game |
C.The True Winner | D.The Magical Encouragement |
As any parent with an iPhone or an iPod Touch knows, mobile apps (手机软件) can be an engaging and entertaining experience for kids. Now, a new study of PBS Kids suggests that the experience can be an educational one as well.
The study, which was administered by PBS under a grant from the Department of Education, first tested the vocabulary level of a group of 90 Title 1 school children, aged 3 to 7. Then, the children were each given two weeks with an iPod Touch loaded with the Martha Speaks Dog Party app created by PBS Kids.
The study monitored how the children used the iPod, during what hours, and in what context. On average, the study found that kids played with the iPod Touch for a total of 5 hours across the two weeks, with half that time spent playing the Martha Speaks app. At the end of the two week trial, the children were given another vocabulary test, which revealed an increase in vocabulary acquisition by as much as 31 per cent.
The study findings are particularly useful as smart phones and mobile devices have become increasingly popular among families and parents are faced with a proliferation of mobile apps designed for kids. According to a recent Nielsen study, smart phone usage is 12% higher in households with children than other households.
“Mobile apps can be a great learning tool in the hands of children,” said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, Children’s Media, PBS. “This research is important in helping to better understand and guide the development of new apps that improve the value of children’s screen time with significant educational outcomes.”
So what does it all mean? Well, at the very least it will help parents get over that guilty feeling when they hand over their iPhone or iPod Touch for a little peace and quiet. At best, it provides more evidence that mobile devices and apps do indeed have educational value and could be an important part of the child-learning process for many years to come. What Lesli Rotenberg said in the fifth paragraph suggests that.
A.he has a positive attitude towards mobile apps |
B.he thinks children should never use smart phones |
C.he is doubtful about mobile apps designed for children |
D.he thinks parents should be careful with mobile apps for children |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that.
A.parents will feel more comfortable giving kids iPhone or iPod Touch |
B.parents will know what kind of mobile phones are suitable for kids |
C.parents will know what children do with mobile phones |
D.parents can watch over their children now and then |
What would be the best title of the text?
A.The popularity of smart phones among kids |
B.The entertaining function of smart phones |
C.Smart phones make kids learn more. |
D.It’s too early for kids to use smart phones |
It’s good to make mistakes, and here is why.
First of all, mistakes are a clear sign that you are trying new things. It’s always good to try new things because when you are trying new things you are growing. If you never try anything new, how can you improve? How can you expand? The simple answer is “You can’t”. Look around you. With very few exceptions (例外), either everything you see in your physical world or every single detail of every single thing is the result of someone trying something new.
Another good thing about mistakes is this: When you are making mistakes, you are learning. Consider this: Edison failed 10,000 times before he perfected the light bulb. When asked how it felt to fail that many times, he said that he hadn’t failed 10,000 times, but rather had learned 10,000 things that didn’t work.
Finally, when you make a mistake you are much closer to success. Why?
Because when all is said and done, you will have tried some number of things before you succeed. Every time you make a mistake you eliminate one of those things and are one step closer.
But this all doesn’t mean that you should go ahead without considering the consequences(结果) of a mistake. Quite the contrary, when you try something new you have to be willing to set some reasonable limits so that in the event that it doesn’t work out the way you want it to, you will be in a position to try again.
We all have limited resources in the form of time and money so don’t blow them all on one approach to a problem. Realize that it probably won’t be perfect the first time and allocate(分配) these resources appropriately so you can learn, make corrections, and try it again. Only by accepting and using your mistakes in this way can you make significant advances in your business and your career.
There is an old saying that goes, “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”
So go forth and make mistakes. And learn. And grow. And prosper(成功).The underlined word “eliminate” means _______.
A.avoid | B.remove | C.accept | D.solve |
According to the article, one thing you should pay attention to about making mistakes is _______.
A.avoiding making the same mistakes |
B.accepting the punishment willingly |
C.taking consequences into consideration |
D.trying things out one by one |
The article is mainly about _______.
A.how to deal with mistakes |
B.what benefits mistakes bring |
C.how to achieve success |
D.how to make use of your mistakes |
What would the writer probably suggest we say to ourselves when we make a mistake?
A.Never mind, I can always try again. |
B.I’d better stay out of trouble. |
C.Now I can learn something new. |
D.Look at this mess. Anyone would be upset. |
Many of us feel uneasy when someone stands too close to us, talks to us too loudly or makes eye contact(接触) with us for too long. But have you ever wondered why those things make you uncomfortable?
It’s all about personal peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated(侵犯) when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume(香水) makes you feel angry.
Whether people have had a stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say. Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire(渴望) to have space to themselves. In a survey (调查)by TripAdvisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food.
Although people may need their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from strangers.
Go and watch a library table. You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first, because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe you will pile up books as if to make a wall.
Preference(偏好) for personal space are different from culture to culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal space than people from other cultures. In Latin(拉丁人的) cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other.The writer mainly _________ in this article.
A.tells us how to achieve personal space |
B.explains what personal space people need is |
C.introduces some knowledge about personal space |
D.argues for the importance of keeping personal space |
Who might feel his personal space is safe according to the passage?
A.A person who has to sit next to a lady putting on strong perfume. |
B.A person who has been watched by a stranger for a long time. |
C.A person who hears strange noises when reading at home. |
D.A Latin boy who is chatting with a friend sitting close to him. |
What can we know from the survey by TripAdvisor?
A.People need a smaller personal space in recent times than before. |
B.People have a strong desire for personal space in recent times. |
C.There are not enough seats on the plane to meet people’s needs. |
D.Food service is better provided than seats on the plane. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The space around the body is more needed than that around all the senses. |
B.If you hold newspapers on the bus, your personal space won’t be violated. |
C.People usually choose the corner seats first in a library for personal space. |
D.Different cultures share the same preferences for personal space. |
There’s no danger of 88-year-old Harry Ward forgetting his wife Doris’s Valentine’s Day card – the couple still use the same one he bought her 70 years ago.
When 17-year-old Harry Ward presented Doris with a Valentine’s Day card as he boarded a train to join the wartime effort on February 14, 1941, he must have been fairly confident about his affections(钟爱). After all the couple had been dating since they met in a café three months earlier.
But little can he have imagined that 70 years on, not only would he still be happy about having married Doris, but that every year she would present him with the very same card he gave her that Valentine’s Day. “I bring it out of the cupboard and put it on our mantelpiece(壁炉台)every Valentine’s Day,” she said. “It’s a special to me now as it was 70 years ago. Harry has never bought me one since, because I have this one every year.”
They first met in a café. “Harry was in the café drinking and he said hello. He asked me my name and we got talking happily. He offered to walk me to the bus stop but when we got outside, a bombing raid(突然袭击)had started and we had to run to a nearby air-raid shelter(防空洞),” Doris said.
Mr. Ward said,“I knew Doris was the one for me the moment I met her. I gave her the Valentine’s card then and she is still my Valentine now.” Mrs. Ward’s card is not the only thing that has endured the passing of time.
“Harry is quite romantic and we are as still in love as the day he first gave me this card,”Dorris said.When did the couple first meet?
A.In 1940. | B.In 1939. | C.In 1941. | D.In 1942 |
Why does Mrs. Ward always use the same Valentine’s Day card?
A.She is an environmentalist. |
B.She can’t afford a new one. |
C.She values the card very much. |
D.She doesn’t want to waste money. |
What do we know about the 70-year-old Valentine’s Day card?
A.It was first given to Doris on a plane. |
B.It is usually kept in their cupboard |
C.It was made by hand by Mr. Ward. |
D.It is sent to Doris by post every year. |
By saying “Mrs. Ward’s card is not the only thing that has endured the passing of time.”, the author means__________.
A.The card records their romance |
B.The card will still be used in future |
C.They both treasure the very card |
D.Their affections are still strong |
Producing money requires both artistic and technological skills. Dollar bills are made so that they are interesting to look at but very hard to copy. In total, there are sixty-five separate steps required to make a dollar bill.
The money making process begins when a yearly order is sent by the Federal Reserve Board. That order will then be divided in half. Half will be done here in Washington, D.C. and the other half will be done in Fort Worth, Texas. Next, the Bureau orders special paper which is actually cloth since it is 75% cotton and 25% linen.
This paper is made so that it can last a long time. And, it is made with details that make it hard to copy. For example, bills contain security threads. These narrow pieces of plastic are inside the paper and run along the width of the bill. This special paper is also made with very small blue and red fibers.
Once the money is printed, guillotine cutters (切纸机) separate the sheets into two notes, then into individual notes.The notes are organized in "bricks," each of which contains forty one-hundred-note packages. The bricks then go to one of twelve Federal Reserve Districts, which then give the money to local banks. Ninety-five percent of the bills printed each year are used to replace money that is in circulation, or that has already been removed from circulation.
You may know that America's first president, George Washington, is pictured on the one- dollar bill. But do you know whose face is on the two, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred-dollar bills? They are, in order. President Thomas Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, President Andrew Jackson, President Ulysses Grant and statesman Benjamin Franklin.
The average life span of a one-dollar bill is twenty-one months. But a ten-dollar bill lasts only about eighteen months.The one hundred-dollar bill lasts the longest, eighty-nine months.One popular question is about the two-dollar bill. This bill is not printed very often. This is because many Americans believe two-dollar bills are lucky, so they keep them.During money production, we must consider all EXCEPT that it must.
A.last a long time | B.be hard to copy |
C.be done by the president's order | D.be interesting to look at |
We can learn from the passage that the security threads.
A.are narrow pieces of plastic |
B.are pressed outside the bills |
C.are longer than the width of the bills |
D.are actually made of cotton and linen |
How many presidents are printed on the American money?
A.Four | B.Five | C.Six | D.Seven |
Why are the two-dollar bills not made often?
A.Because no one wants them. |
B.Because they aren't damaged quickly like other bills. |
C.Because they aren't used in America any more. |
D.Because their material is a bit more expensive. |