In a world where comparisons happen non-stop, it is difficult to look outside yourself and to ever be 36 with who you are. There’s always someone who’s a bit 37 . The only solution is to reach 38 and measure against what Warren Buffett calls your own inner yardstick. There is no more 39 measure for comparison than who your were yesterday, last week or last decade, when you were at your 40 .
Nothing useful ever comes from comparison to others. Either you see yourself as better than someone and you get 41 , or you see someone else as better than you and you feel like all your hard work is for 42 . It is a fool’s game. Not one of us is exactly 43 . The only direct and honest comparison is 44 yourself. Everything else is apples to oranges.
My opinion is that you are only 45 to compare yourself to someone else if their life 46 is the same as your own. Good luck finding that 47 . And one thing is for sure. No matter how hard you work and how dedicated you are, there will always be someone who can run a little faster, jump a little higher, score a little better or look a little nicer in a swimsuit. And if there’s not, you can 48 someone is coming up fast 49 you. So how can you always win in life? Become your best 50 .
Having an image of your most recent past limits is the perfect thing to 51 you to the next level. If you ran 7 flights of stairs yesterday, then do 8 today. Who 52 if the guy next to you did 15? It doesn’t make a bit of 53 . You are a more 54 person today than you were yesterday. Your own 55 is all you need.
A．patient B．strict C．content D．concerned
A．stronger B．better C．lazier D．wiser
A．inside B．out C．for D．up
A．accurate B．useful C．careful D．powerful
A．end B．best C．convenience D．side
A．satisfied B．busy C．inspired D．lazy
A．nothing B．fun C．sure D．success
A．equal B．unique C．alike D．common
A．within B．by C．for D．of
A．instructed B．allowed C．directed D．suggested
A．situation B．position C．occasion D．accommodation
A．game B．match C．friend D．enemy
A．conclude B．bet C．announce D．declare
A．before B．beside C．below D．behind
A．assistant B．competitor C．coach D．teacher
A．contribute B．expose C．push D．devote
A．cares B．says C．wonders D．asks
A．effort B．sense C．difference D．change
A．successful B．happy C．lucky D．fit
A．benefit B．progress C．habit D．result
One winter during college in New York, I took an 8 am history class to fulfill a requirement. It was 36 to get up for that class, but every morning I would 37 the cold winds and went to the lecture.
The professor for the class would step 38 into the room. He was terribly nervous about the class and always fixed his eyes on his book, never 39 us.
I felt that I needed to do something to 40 the boredom, so I tried to find something in his lecture to ask him, 41 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. The first time 42 I raised my hand, he was surprised but was obviously 43 to have a question to answer. I continued to do this every day. The professor seemed to become a bit more 44 and some other students even joined in. In fact, his answers were always 45. In this way, I learned quite a lot and realized the professor was indeed a/an 46 in his field.
On the last day of class we 47 our books and headed out. The professor stepped directly in front of me, with obvious 48, putting out his hand. He said, “49 you for making my class so interesting,” shaking my hand and smiling. I was so 50. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 51 the time in his lesson. I had no idea that my 52 had any effect on him or the others at all.
That 53 has stayed with me for 30 years. I don’t 54 the fact I learned in his class, but I’ll never forget the professor who taught me a lesson about the 55 of acts of kindness, indeed or not.
A．impossible B．rough C．natural D．tough
A．slow B．brave C．lower D．warm
A．shyly B．eagerly C．proudly D．hurriedly
A．looking down at B．looking up at C．looking up to D．looking down upon
A．ignore B．delay C．stop D．understand
A．forcing B．allowing C．advising D．persuading
A．when B．in which C．* D．that
A．impatient B．sorry C．shocked D．pleased
A．relaxed B．annoyed C．tired D．determined
A．boring B．interesting C．puzzling D．worrying
A．permanent B．temporary C．expert D．fool
A．read B．copied C．ordered D．gathered
A．pity B．effort C．humor D．guilt
A．Thank B．Forgive C．Blame D．Praise
A．honest B．nervous C．surprised D．disappointed
A．save B．spend C．spare D．pass
A．stories B．questions C．appearance D．care
A．moment B．opinion C．suggestion D．wish
A．like B．know C．recall D．believe
A．concept B．reward C．price D．power
One winter during college in New York, I took an 8 am history class to fulfill a requirement. It was 36 to get up for that class, but every morning I would 37 the cold winds and went to the lecture.
The professor for the class would step 38 into the room. He was terribly nervous about the class and always fixed his eyes on his book, never 39 us.
I felt that I needed to do something to 40 the boredom, so I tried to find something in his lecture to ask him, 41 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. The first time 42 I raised my hand, he was surprised but was obviously 43 to have a question to answer. I continued to do this every day. The professor seemed to become a bit more 44 and some other students even joined in. In fact, his answers were always 45. In this way, I learned quite a lot and realized the professor was indeed a/an 46 in his field.
On the last day of class we 47 our books and headed out. The professor stepped directly in front of me, with obvious 48, putting out his hand. He said, “49 you for making my class so interesting,” shaking my hand and smiling. I was so 50. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 51 the time in his lesson. I had no idea that my 52 had any effect on him or the others at all.
That 53 has stayed with me for 30 years. I don’t 54 the fact I learned in his class, but I’ll never forget the professor who taught me a lesson about the 55 of acts of kindness, indeed or not.
A．impossible B．rough C．natural D．tough
A．slow B．brave C．lower D．warm
A．shyly B．eagerly C．proudly D．hurriedly
A．looking down at B．looking up at C．looking up to D．looking down upon
A．ignore B．delay C．stop D．understand
A．forcing B．allowing C．advising D．persuading
A．when B．in which C．* D．that
A．impatient B．sorry C．shocked D．pleased
A．relaxed B．annoyed C．tired D．determined
A．boring B．interesting C．puzzling D．worrying
A．permanent B．temporary C．expert D．fool
A．read B．copied C．ordered D．gathered
A．pity B．effort C．humor D．guilt
A．Thank B．Forgive C．Blame D．Praise
A．honest B．nervous C．surprised D．disappointed
A．save B．spend C．spare D．pass
A．stories B．questions C．appearance D．care
A．moment B．opinion C．suggestion D．wish
A．like B．know C．recall D．believe
A．concept B．reward C．price D．power
Charles and I used to hang out all the time , together with a few other guys , but he seemed too cool for us lately . We couldn’t understand the 36 , and we didn’t ask him for an explanation . 37 , we decided to 38 him a lesson in the way he treated us .
Once we started giving Charles the 39 shoulder , almost everybody was taking no notice of him . He looked so 40 , especially at lunchtime when he sat alone in the cafeteria . Now and then he nodded and said , “Hey!” when 41 passed his table , but all he got 42 return were mean looks and silence .
At first I was glad my plan had 43 , but Charles’ unhappiness made me upset . I only wanted him to know 44 it felt like to be blown off , but I hadn’t thought about how badly my “lesson” would 45 him .
During one lunch period, I 46 as Charles repeatedly glanced at his watch , obviously 47 the minutes until he could leave the cafeteria . I suddenly realized I had done wrong .
“Hey ! man . I’m terribly sorry.” I called out .
Charles turned around 48 , clearly wanting to avoid eye contact .
“Oh, so you are talking to me now ?” he asked .
“I’m so sorry , 49 I had thought that you wanted to end our friendship.” I said .
“What?” he nearly shouted , looking much 50 . “I’ve left you alone because I thought that was what you wanted.”
“Oh, my God ! Why would I want 51 ?” I shouted , completely puzzled .
Clearly , we both had been 52 each other wrong .
At first Charles couldn’t accept my 53 . I knew he needed time to 54 all the hurt I’d caused him . But eventually , he did forgive me . We even started hanging out together 55 . And our friendship wasn’t destroyed at all .
A．situation B．change C．action D．appearance
A．Besides B．Therefore C．Instead D．Opposite
A．take B．teach C．give D．attend
A．serious B．friendly C．warm D．cold
A．sad B．angry C．happy D．high
A．nobody B．anyone C．they D．someone
A．at B．in C．on D．by
A．helped B．operated C．worked D．done
A．what B．that C．as D．how
A．worry B．touch C．hurt D．disappoint
A．imagined B．listened C．recalled D．watched
A．counting B．guessing C．waiting
A．immediately B．slowly C．finally D．willingly
A．and B．so C．thus D．but
A．interested B．pleased C．surprised D．moved
A．it B．those C．that D．such
A．understanding B．regarding C．knowing D．treating
A．explanation B．attitude C．suggestion D．apology
A．get through B．get over C．get across D．get along
A．seldom B．once C．again D．also
The story I’m going to tell truly happened in my life.
The other day, I met a man outside the gym who_16___a movie star. He was handsome and smiling. His upper body was muscular and he __17_to be on top of the world.
“How are you?” I _18___with a smile. “I’m doing really well,” he replied in a cheerful voice. His enthusiasm and big smile _19___the parking garage . _20___as he walked up, I _21___his long legs were thin and I saw he had a silver cane(手杖).“Why do you need that cane?” I couldn’t _22___thinking he had a minor injury. “I have MS,” he answered in a _23___voice too, as his broad smile __24__left his face. Multiple Sclerosis is a very serious disease and often painful. I looked at him from my little red sports car and said, “You _25___it very well. You seem like a happy man _26___ the MS.” Without losing a bit of his smile he replied, “ I am a happy man,” and then added, “I’d be even happier if I had that sports _27___.”
It was ironic(讽刺的). Just _28___we spoke, I’d been sitting in that little sports car, feeling sad about my painful shoulder over the last 11 months although I was _29___ after an operation. Here’s a man with a __30__far tougher than mine, but his positive attitude made him feel no _31___happiness. He went on with his enjoyment of life as usual, which moved me deeply.
It was also a wonderful reminder of that old _32___, “I cried because I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet.” _33___ your problems, just keep in__34__that none of us goes through life __35__and like the man with MS, make the most of what you have. Count your blessings.
|
Eighty-year-old retired tailor, James McKay, spent Saturday night in jail after __36__ thirty-year-old Keith Smith over the head __37__ his walking stick．McKay’s wife, Laurence told us that while McKay is usually a __38__ person, he had been __39__ to this act of violence by getting wet just once too often．
Smith lives above the McKays and it appears that not only is he a keen gardener, he is also a __40__ collector．Unfortunately for him, the water he sent over his balcony every day ended up on the McKay’s, or too often, on the McKays __41__．
“For the last fortnight, since Smith moved into the flat above us, we have hardly dared to go to our __42__,” said Laurene．She added that it wasn’t so much the water falling onto their balcony from Smith watering his plant __43__ bothered them, it was more the way he cleaned his fish tanks．“We’d be __44__ there happily reading our newspapers, when __45__ so much water would come from above that we’d be as wet as if we’d __46__ with our clothes on! Neither could we get rid of the __47__ of fish!”
And on Saturday evening it was just too __48__．“It was James’s birthday,” explained Laurene, “and I’d made him a birthday cake．The candles were a great sight as you can imagine, but James didn’t get to blow them out．” __49__, Smith emptied one of his larger tanks over his balcony and both the McKays and the cake were wet __50__．Rarely had Laurene seen McKay move so fast．“I couldn’t __51__ him．He was up there in a flash．It was the fastest I’d seen him move since 1964．”
Smith is not going to take things further with the police．He has also promised to change his__52__ from now on．And what of James McKay? __53__ he left the police station, a large crowd of supporters sang him, “Happy Birthday”．“__54__ the most exciting birthday __55__!” said the cheerful old man．“The best since my adolescence I’d say!”
A．hitting B．tapping C．pushing D．touching
A．by B．with C．through D．via
A．quiet B．sensitive C．stubborn D．peaceful
A．accustomed B．driven C．taken D．attracted
A．fish B．seed C．plant D．newspaper
A．themselves B．itself C．herself D．himself
A．bathroom B．balcony C．bedroom D．kitchen
A．which B．what C．that D．whether
A．sitting B．exercising C．sleeping D．eating
A．regularly B．suddenly C．precisely D．unconsciously
A．swum B．watered C．showered D．drowned
A．taste B．smell C．feeling D．sense
A．little B．soon C．late D．much
A．Otherwise B．Besides C．Instead D．Consequently
A．over B．across C．through D．down
A．stop B．blame C．ignore D．stand
A．views B．attitude C．mind D．ways
A．While B．Since C．Until D．As
A．Sincerely B．Impossibly C．Previously D．Definitely
A．before B．already C．ever D．since