It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries (食品杂货), saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that，several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, and then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity (人性) as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
| A．The man’s job was bike racing. |
| B．It was their only possession. |
| C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
| D．They used it for work and daily life |
We can infer from the text that__________.
| A．the couple worked 60 hours a week |
| B．people were busy before Christmas |
| C．the stranger brought over the bike |
| D．life was hard for the young family |
How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
| A．From radio broadcasts. | B．From a newspaper. |
| C．From TV news. | D．From a stranger. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
| A．Strangers are usually of little help. |
| B．One should take care of their bike. |
| C．News reports make people famous. |
| D．An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
Some people think that success is only for those with talent or those who grow up in the right family,and others believe that success mostly comes down to luck. I’m not going to say luck, talent, and circumstances don’t come into play because they do. Some people are born into the right family while others are born with great intelligence, and that’s just the reality of how life is.
However, to succeed in life, one first needs to set a goal and then gradually make it more practical. And,in addition to that, in order to get really good at something, one needs to spend at least 10,000 hours studying and practicing. To become great at certain things, it’ll require even more time,time that most people won’t put in.
This is a big reason why many successful people advise you to do something you love. If you don’t enjoy what you do, it is going to feel like unbearable pain and will likely make you quit well before you ever become good at it.
When you see people exhibiting some great skills or having achieved great success,you know that they have put in a huge part of their life to get there at a huge cost.It’s sometimes easy to think they got lucky or they were born with some rare talent,but thinking that way does you no good,and there’s a huge chance that you’re wrong anyway.
Whatever you do, if you want to become great at it, you need to work day in and day out, almost to the point of addiction, and over a long period of time. If you’re not willing to put in the time and work, don’t expect to receive any rewards. Consistent, hard work won’t guarantee you the level of success you may want, but it will guarantee that you will become really good at whatever it is you put all that work into.Paragraph 1 mainly talks about ________.
| A．the reasons for success | B．the meaning of success |
| C．the standards of success | D．the importance of success |
In Paragraph 2, the underlined word “that “refers to ______.
| A．being good at something | B．setting a practical goal |
| C．putting in more time | D．succeeding in life |
What is the main theme of the passage?
| A．Having a goal is vital to success. |
| B．Being good is different from being great. |
| C．One cannot succeed without time and practice. |
| D．Luck,talent and family help to achieve success. |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”However, that’s not really true.Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves--the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This“ self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down.Be aware, though, that as much as 77%of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves.We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back ,The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying“ Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effects they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things.Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.The author argues in the first paragraph that __________.
| A．words will never hurt us at all |
| B．words have lasting effects on us |
| C．inspiring words give us confidence. |
| D．negative words may let us down |
Why should not we feel embarrassed when it comes to talking to ourselves?
| A．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
| B．Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
| C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
| D．It is harmful to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph three means “ _________”.
| A．blame ourselves | B．punish ourselves |
| C．talk to ourselves | D．praise ourselves |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
| A．Unkind words are unlikely to be forgotten. |
| B．Positive words may destroy all the good relations. |
| C．It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
| D．Kind words are sure to cause unfavorable response. |
Why should we talk in a friendly way when returning an item to a store?
| A．Because kind words destroy true relationships. |
| B．Because the clerk in a store is hard to deal with. |
| C．Because critical language may hurt your feelings. |
| D．Because friendly words cause positive responses. |
When I was in the seventh grade, I was a candy striper (义工) at a local hospital in my town. I volunteered(自愿做) about 30 to 40 hours a week during the summer.
Most of the time I spent there was with Mr. Gillespie. He never had any visitors, and nobody seemed to care about his condition. I spent many days there holding his hand and talking to him, helping with anything that needed to be done. He became a close friend of mine, even though he responded with only an occasional squeeze (紧握) of my hand. Mr. Gillespie was in a coma (昏迷).
I left for a week for a vacation with my parents, and when I came back, Mr. Gillespie was gone. I didn’t have the courage to ask any of the nurses where he was, for fear they might tell me he had died. So with many questions unanswered, I continued to volunteer there through my eighth-grade year.
Several years later, when I was a junior in high school, I was at the gas station when I noticed a familiar face. When I realized who it was, my eyes filled with tears. He was alive! I got up the nerve to ask him if he was Mr. Gillespie, and if he had been in a coma about five years ago. With an uncertain look on his face, he replied yes. I explained how I knew him, and that I had spent many hours talking to him in the hospital. His eyes welled up with tears, and he gave me the warmest hug I had ever received.
He began to tell me how, as he lay there comatose (昏睡的), he could hear me talking to him and could feel me holding his hand the whole time. He thought it was an angel(天使), who was there with him. Mr. Gillespie firmly believed that it was my voice and touch that had kept him alive. Then he told me about his life. We exchanged a hug, said our good-byes and went our separate ways.
Although I haven’t seen him since, he fills my heart with joy every day. I know that I made a difference between his life and his death. As importantly, he has made a great difference in my life. I will never forget him and what he did for me: He made me an angel. When the author volunteered at a local hospital, she .
| A．mainly helped the nurses with their paper work |
| B．made up her mind to become a nurse herself one day |
| C．spent most of her time taking care of a man in a coma |
| D．became friends with Mr. Gillespie’s visitors |
The author didn’t ask where Mr. Gillespie had gone because .
| A．she knew for sure that he had recovered |
| B．she forgot all about him when she returned to the hospital |
| C．she had been concerned that he might stay in coma forever |
| D．she feared that he might have died |
Judging from the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The author continued her volunteer work in the hospital until seventh-grade. |
| B．The author met Mr. Gillespie at a gas station several years later. |
| C．Mr. Gillespie recognized the author’s voice the moment he met her. |
| D．No one in the hospital believed that Mr. Gillespie would recover from his coma. |
Which of the following statements best summarizes the point of the story?
| A．Those with faith in themselves will succeed. |
| B．If you spread happiness you will be happy yourself. |
| C．Respect people and they will try hard to improve. |
| D．Kindness is loving people more than they deserve. |
Are you having too much salt? You might not think so, but people in China eat on average (平均) about 12 grams of salt each day, that is much higher than the 6 grams suggested by the World Health Organization. You could be eating too much without realizing it, because about 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as bread, sauces, soups and sausages.
What problems can eating too much salt cause? To answer that question, first let’s take a look at what salt is.
Salt is a chemical compound. It is made of sodium (钠) and chloride (氯化物). Salt is used to keep and flavor foods. A small amount of salt is important for good health because our bodies need sodium and chloride to work.
But past studies have found that people who eat more salt than they need tend to have high blood pressure. Eating too much salt has also been connected with other conditions, such as heart and kidney (肾) problems.
If you want to cut down on salt, the good news is, there are plenty of simple things to do. Here are some tips:
*Cut back on high salt foods.
Most foods contain some salt. But some foods such as cheese, bacon, pickles (泡菜), smoked fish and chips are almost always high in salt because of the way they are made. You can still enjoy them, but try to have these in smaller amounts, or eat them less often.
*Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals.
Bread and breakfast cereals (谷物) are major source of salt in the diet, not that they’re necessarily high in salt but because we eat a lot of them. For these foods, there can be a really big difference between different types and brands. So next time you’re shopping, take the time to compare the salt levels on a few similar products. And always try to choose the ones lower in salt.
*Avoid adding salt to cooking and at table. Instead, you could use herbs and spices (香料) such as garlic (大蒜) and lemon juice to add flavor to meals.Many people in China don’t realize they are eating too much salt because ______.
| A．salty food tasted better than reduced salt food |
| B．they do not calculate the amount of salt they eat |
| C．about 3/4 of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy |
| D．few people experience problems from eating too much salt |
For a healthier life, the author’s suggestion is to ________.
| A．cut back on food with less salt |
| B．eat less heavily salted food |
| C．eat as much reduced salt bread as is wanted |
| D．stop eating bread and breakfast cereals |
What is the purpose of the article?
| A．To warn people of food containing too much salt. |
| B．To inform people of the right amount of salt taken each day. |
| C．To advise people to be careful about the amount of salt they eat. |
| D．To promote (促进) the right way to make reduced salt food. |
How to Study Smarter, Not Harder
Here are some of our favorite study tips that will help any student study smarter, not harder:
Recite As You Study
Reciting—saying things out loud should first take place as you read through each paragraph or section. Test yourself. This will help you to understand as well as learn faster because it is more active than reading or listening. It will also help you to notice your mistakes and the topics you have trouble understanding.
Take Fuller Notes
Notes should be in your own words, brief and clear. They should be tidy and easy to read. Writing notes will help you better than just underlining as you read, since it forces you to rewrite ideas in your own words.
Study the Middle
The best time to review is soon after you’ve learned something. You are more likely to remember the material at the beginning and the end of the lesson, so make sure you focus on the middle when you review.
Sleep On It
Study before going to bed, unless you are very tired. It’s easier to remember material you’ve just learned after sleeping than after an equal period of daytime activity, because your brain continues to think even after you’ve fallen asleep.
Combine Memory and Understanding
There are two ways to remember: by memorizing and by understanding. Multiplication tables(乘法表), telephone numbers, and math formulas(公式)are better learned by memorizing(记忆). Ideas are best learned by understanding.
The more ways you have to think about an idea, the more meaning it will have; the more meaningful the learning, the better you can remember it. Pay attention to similarities in ideas and concepts, and then try to understand how they fit in with things you already know. Never be satisfied with anything less than a completely clear understanding of what you are reading. If you are not able to follow the thought, go back to the place where you first got confused and try again.You can notice your mistakes by _______.
| A．saying things out aloud | B．taking notes |
| C．studying the middle | D．sleeping on it |
When taking notes, you should _______ to better help you with reading.
| A．underline important notes |
| B．write notes in your own words |
| C．take down every detail |
| D．write as quickly as possible |
The writer advises you to _______ as it is easier for you to remember material.
| A．study after a period of activity |
| B．do some exercise after studying |
| C．study as soon as you get up |
| D．study before going to sleep |
Which of the following is NOT helpful for your understanding?
| A．Thinking about an idea in different ways. |
| B．Relating ideas and concepts with what you already know. |
| C．Reading from the beginning to the end without stop. |
| D．Going back to what first made you confused and start again. |