Sports are by nature competitive. But recently, the over-competitive nature youth sports seem to have taken on has led to cause for ____.
Those who are strongly against competition point out that in a competition, only one wins while the rest ____. They argue that competition leads children to define themselves by the outcome, tying their self-esteem(自尊心) up with their ability to ____ others. They further argue that competition causes anxiety, affects learning and causes children to view others as____ to their success. Competition restricts participation and ___ success. A “win-at-all-costs” mentality can cause children to pay little attention to honesty and fair play.
On the opposite side of the debate are those who view competition as a ____ part of American society. They argue that placing kids in a competitive situation such as sports helps prepare them for a(n) ____ life in our society that is full of competition. ____ is a normal part of human nature and part of everyday life. Other arguments ____ competitive sports are that they provide challenges, help kids develop skills, and teach them how to get along with others.
The third side of this debate says that a little competition can’t be that ____, as long as competition does not get out of hand and take on a “win-at-all-costs” mentality. They claim that competition in itself is not bad and it can serve as a ____ of social comparison, necessary for adolescents to see how ____ they are. Their advice is to introduce competition ____ while focusing more on mastery and cooperation during childhood. The gradual shift toward competition will allow children to build skills, participate fully, and focus on ____ rather than winning.
It is important that you consider all of the possible ____ of competition before you put your child in a competitive situation.
A．alarm B．concern C．optimism D．accident
A．follow B．stop C．fail D．return
A．beat B．change C．study D．control
A．tickets B．barriers C．roads D．invitations
A．refuses B．limits C．imagines D．stresses
A．healthy B．popular C．hard D．missing
A．political B．early C．adult D．daily
A．Disagreement B．Motivation C．Difficulty D．Competition
A．doubting B．attacking C．supporting D．ignoring
A．necessary B．bad C．interesting D．boring
A．sample B．product C．subject D．means
A．unique B．young C．normal D．skillful
A．gradually B．eventually C．widely D．forcefully
A．observing B．teaching C．playing D．growing
A．benefits B．outcomes C．responsibilities D．methods
Having left the town, the girl stopped the car at the landing near the entrance of the bay. She stepped into the __11__ and rowed out silently. The tide was rushing to the entrance and __12__ to the wild open sea. She had to row across the bay to reach __13__ side. The waves struck against the side of the boat, __14__ and uneven; it became __15__ difficult to row. If she __16__ for a moment, the tide would push the boat back towards the __17__.
She wasn’t even halfway, __18__ she was already tired and her hands __19__ from pulling onthe rough wooden oars (船桨). "I'm never going to __20__ it”, she thought. She rested the oars onher knees and __21__ her head helplessly, then looked up as she __22__ the boat shift(晃动) against the tide.
The east wind , which had swung(旋转) around from the south-west, __23__ her help and pushed the boat towards the mountains. It was going to be __24__. Her hands weren't so painful. Her chest didn’t feel as if it was about to burst __25__.
The lights of the town became __26__. one of the oars banged against the side of the boat and she __27__ it with a start. Had she been asleep, or just __28__? She looked over her shoulder. She was almost on the beach. The girl gave one last __29__ on the oars to ground the boat, and then lay back against the seat. She listened to the waves __30__ and knew she had come home. Far across the moonlit bay the lights were no more than a sparkling chain.
A．car B．boat C．ship D．mail
A．beside B．before C．behind D．beyond
A．another B．other C．either D．the other
A．deep B．calm C．gentle D．rough
A．more B．less C．as D．least
A．slept B．continued C．rested D．rowed
A．home B．mountains C．south-west D．entrance
A．if B．so C．but D．since
A．hurt B．ruined C．troubled D．broke
A．get B．make C．keep D．take
A．mined B．dropped C．cocked D．raised
A．saw B．made C．heard D．felt
A．got to B．came to C．sent for D．reached for
A．difficult B．serious C．all right D．certain enough
A．any more B．still more C．no more D．once more
A．brighter B．bigger C．closer D．smaller
A．destroyed B．threw C．repaired D．seized
A．dreaming B．guessing C．inventing D．expecting
A．blow B．hit C．pull D．strike
A．anxiously B．happily C．sadly D．carefully
I was feeling a little blue. My mother had been laid off from her job, but she said she was OK since her boss wasn't the nicest person 36 .
I got off the college bus and started walking. That's 37 I heard piano music and singing rising above the 38 of the people and the traffic. I walked a little slower 39 I could find out where it was coming from. 40 the crowd I saw a young lady sitting at a piano with a 41 next to her, singing songs about love. The way she was singing 42 me a bit. I stood there watching her 43 for about fifteen minutes, thinking that it must take 44 to perform on her own in public.
Feeling my presence, she looked in my 45 . I walked over and put some money in her carriage. “I have been going through a 46 time lately, but you’re made me hopeful again.”
"I'm happy that I could 47 . Why are you so sad?"
"Well, my mum had got 48 from her job, but I’m not sure what to do….”
"You see, the way you were 49 ," she explained. “Don't look defeated, 50 comes in different ways. If your head is down you might never see it. Smile more ... 51 your head up."
I smiled slightly, amazed by how she was 52 me.
“Why are you playing here?” I asked.
“I am not making music. I study psychology. I often see many 53 people and hope to relieve their 54 and make them think positively by sharing music.”
I smiled a little wider. She was doing a good thing. My heart was touched by a 55 soul.
A．instead B．somehow C．anyway D．either
A．since B．when C．before D．after
A．noise B．view C．scene D．hurry
A．but B．yet C．or D．so
A．Across B．Along C．Beside D．Through
A．plate B．carriage C．basket D．bowl
A．discouraged B．disturbed C．shocked D．comforted
A．playing B．begging C．dancing D．refreshing
A．image B．belief C．courage D．time
A．instruction B．direction C．operation D．intention
A．peaceful B．nice C．rough D．pleasure
A．work B．improve C．stand D．help
A．lost B．fired C．stuck D．tired
A．sighing B．listening C．walking D．talking
A．Opportunities B．Possibilities C．Performances D．Experiences
A．drop B．lift C．pick D．knock
A．depressing B．encouraging C．frightening D．surprising
A．active B．thoughtful C．negative D．surprising
A．pain B．sight C．respect D．attention
A．classical B．serious C．curious D．musical
It's fourteen years since I left the Philippines to live with my family in the USA. A month ago, while on summer vacation back in my motherland, I learned a lesson from mosquito (蚊子) bites. Right before16 Kennedy Airport in New York, my grandma 17 me of the behavior of the native mosquitoes around the 18 like me. She said, "There's an old saying—the 19 you stay away from the motherland, the sweeter your blood 20 to the mosquitoes. " Not 21 it, I replied, "Grandma, that's just an old wives' tale!"
Well, less than a week 22 my arrival in Manila, I was already carpeted with a 23 of mosquito bites. I took many measures to keep myself from being 24 , but they all proved useless.
Late one 25in my cousin's home, I couldn't bear the 26 of the bites. Hoping to find some comfort, I 27 my cousin, who was sleeping peacefully in the bed next to mine. Unhappy for being 28 she said, "There is nothing you can do. Go back to sleep. " With a few turns, she slept again. Enviously (妒嫉地) 29 her sleep, I hoped a big mosquito would 30 on her face. However, the mosquitoes would just lightly dance around her forehead and fly away quickly, never biting her. Amazed (惊奇的), I ran to others' 31 , only to find they were all sleeping 32 as the same thing occurred again and again.
From those bites, I came to 33 my grandma's silly tale. From then on, I've always tried to keep a(n) 34 mind about those strange old wives' tales 35 they do have some truth to them.
A．leaving B．passing C．visiting D．finding
A．persuaded B．reminded C． warned D． informed
A．students B．foreigners C．passengers D．visitors
A．earlier B．longer C．sooner D．later
A．grows B．goes C．flows D．remains
A．expecting B．understanding C．recognizing D．believing
A．after B．before C．when D．as
A．shade B．pile C．cloud D．blanket
A．touched B．bitten C．defeated D．discovered
A．morning B．afternoon C．evening D．night
A．noise B．hit C．pain D．effect
A．woke up B．shouted at C．looked for D．dropped on
A．blamed B．interrupted C．moved D．frightened
A．having B．watching C．making D．helping
A．land B．fly C．fall D．wait
A．houses B．flats C．rooms D．homes
A．joyfully B．anxiously C．soundlessly D．worriedly
A．tell B．know C．remember D．accept
A．open B．active C．clear D．honest
A．and B．so C．because D．until
One day a famous speaker gave a speech to a crowd of people. He held up a 21 bill. He asked, “Who would like this $20 bill ? ” Hands were 22 . Then he said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first let me do this.” He began to crumple（弄皱）the 23 . He then asked the audience, “ 24 still wants it ?” Still the hands went25 in the air.
“ What 26 I do this? ” He asked, and he27 it on the ground, and started to step on it. He 28 it up. Now the bill was29 and crumpled. “ Now who still wants it?” Still the hands went up.
“My friends,” He continued, “You have all30 a good lesson . No matter 31 I did to the money, you still wanted it because the bill did not lose its32 . It was still worth $20. Many times in our 33 , we are dropped, crumpled, and stepped on, because we sometimes 34 wrong decisions, or we may 35 with something we do not 36 .When that happens, we feel depressed and think we are 37 . But in fact no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. The worth of our life comes not 38 what we do or whom we know, but in who we are! Don’t forget ‘the worth of a thing does not depend on its outside 39 , but on its inner value.’ This is the 40 of life.
A．20 dollar B．20 dollars C．20-dollars D．20-dollar.
A．risen B．put C．raised D．held
A．bill B．paper C．cash D．change
A．Somebody B．Nobody C．Anybody D．You
A．up B．down C．above D．around
A．should B．can C．if D．Whether
A．threw B．dropped C．fell D．put
A．showed B．lifted C．brought D．picked
A．good B．clean C．large D．dirty
A．given B．learned C．taught D．taken
A．that B．how C．what D．Why
A．value B．price C．effect D．part
A．studies B．work C．fields D．lives
A．do B．make C．give D．take
A．meet B．deal C．talk D．get
A．like B．hope C．wish D．Expect
A．worthless B．weak C．poor D．careless
A．from B．in C．about D．at
A．beauty B．face C．looks D．impression
A．lesson B．truth C．saying D．story
One man was to meet his wife downtown and spend some time shopping with her. He waited36 for 15 minutes. Then he waited impatiently for 15 minutes more. After that, he became 37 . When he saw a photograph booth (照相亭) nearby, he had 38 . He wore the most unhappy expression he could manage, which was not 39 in the situation. In a few moments, he was holding four small photos that 40 even him.
He wrote his wife’s name on the back of the photos and handed them to a 41 behind the desk in the booth. “ 42 you see a small, dark lady with brown eyes and an apologetic expression, obviously 43 someone, would you please give her this?” he said. He then 44 his office in Morrison Building, 45 that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then the four photos must be a good 46 ! He sat down with a smile.
His wife 47 those pictures. She carries them in her purse now and shows them to anyone who asks if she is married.
How are you with 48 ? One person calls it “wait training.” It seems that there is always something we are 49 . We wait on traffic and we wait in lines. We wait to hear about a new job. We wait to complete school. We wait for someone to change his or her mind.
Patience is an important 50 of a happy and rewarding life. 51 , some things are worth waiting for. 52 presents many opportunities for wait training.
We can hate waiting, 53 it or even get good at it! But one thing is 54 --- we cannot avoid it. How is your 55 coming along?
A．proudly B．respectfully C．patiently D．curiously
A．angry B．hungry C．frightened D．thirsty
A．a question B．a reason C．an opinion D．an idea
A．serious B．difficult C．regular D．convenient
A．hurt B．encouraged C．attracted D．shocked
A．clerk B．secretary C．passer-by D．friend
A．Since B．Before C．As D．If
A．looking for B．working for C．sending for D．paying for
A．called up B．returned to C．visited D．left
A．worried B．disappointed C．satisfied D．surprised
A．description B．preparation C．excuse D．lecture
A．Tore B．Saved C．Developed D．destroyed
A．your wife B．your family C．patience D．determination
A．hoping for B．waiting for C．ready for D．fit for
A．lesson B．experience C．purpose D．quality
A．For example B．After all C．Right now D．So far
A．Every age B．Every shop C．Every day D．Every office
A．accept B．control C．change D．improve
A．certain B．interesting C．precious D．easy
A．photo taking B．job hunting C．decision making D．wait training