In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic – and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8! Our home was a complete zoo – a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up
on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree!
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember: little steps add up to big dreams.When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be _______.
A.a writer | B.a teacher |
C.a judge | D.a doctor |
Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?
A.She wanted to study by herself. |
B.She fell in love and got married. |
C.She suffered from a serious illness. |
D.She decided to look after her grandma. |
What does the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?
A.Failure is the mother of success. |
B.Little by little, one goes far. |
C.Every coin has two sides. |
D.Well begun, half done. |
Which of the following can best describe the author?
A.Caring and determined. |
B.Honest and responsible. |
C.Ambitious and Sensitive |
D.Innocent and single-minded |
Recently a Beijing father sent in a question at an Interact forum(论坛)asking what “PK” meant.
“My family has been watching the ‘Super Girl’ singing competition TV program.My little daughter asked me what ’PK’ meant,but I had no idea,”explained the puzzled father.
To a lot of Chinese young people who have been playing games online,it is impossible not to know this term.In such Internet games,“PK” is short for “Player Kill”,in which two players fight until one ends the life of the other.
In the case of the “Super Girl” singing competition.“PK” was used to refer to the stage where two singers have to compete with each other for only one chance to go up in competition ranking.
Like this father,Chinese teachers at high schools have also been finding their students’ compositions using Internet jargons which are difficult to understand.A high school teacher from Tianjin asked her students to write compositions with simple language,but they came up with a lot of Internet jargons that she didn’t understand.
“My ‘GG’ came back this summer from college.He told me I’ve grown up to be a ‘PLMM’.I loved to ‘FB’ with him together;he always took me to the ‘KPM’,”went one composition.
“GG” means Ge Ge(Chinese pinyin for brother).“PLMM” refers to Piao Liang Mei Mei (beautiful girl).“FB” means Fu Bai (corruption).“KPM” is short for KFC.Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.
Some specialists welcome Internet jargons as a new development in language.
If you do not even know what a Kong Long(dinosaur,referring to an ugly looking female) ora Qing wa (frog,referring to an ugly looking male)is,you will possibly be regarded as a CaiNiao!By writing the article,the writer tries to .
A.explain some Internet language |
B.suggest common Internet language |
C.laugh at the Beijing father |
D.draw our attention to Internet language |
What does the writer think about the term “PK”?
A.Fathers can’t possibly know it. |
B.The daughter should understand it. |
C.Online game players may know it. |
D.“Super Girl” shouldn’t h![]() |
The examples of the Beijing father and the Tianjin teacher are used to show that Internet jargons .
A.are used not only online |
B.can be understood very well |
C.are welcomed by all the people |
D.cause trouble to our mother tongue |
The underlined word “jargons” means“”in Chinese.
A.行话 | B.粗口 | C.歌词 | D.趋势 |
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(1)SUMMER JOB
Do you like to talk with people? Do you like to write stories? If you want to work for our magazine as a reporter, please call Karen at 558366.
(2)WANTED
Are you hard-working? Do you like to meet people? If your answer is “Yes”, then we have a job for you as a waiter. Call AL Hotel at 556779.
(3)HELP WANTED
Do you like babies? Can you look after a baby for two days? If you are sure to take good care of it, call us at 766588. $ 80 or more.
Today! Hurry!
(4)CLEANER WANTED
Can you make a large house clean and tidy? If you hope to get the job paid at $20 once, call us this evening 18:00- 20:00.
Tel: 633800Where can you probably find the above ads?
A.A newspaper. | B.A report. |
C.A guide book. | D.A science book. |
If you like children and have two days free, you can call ___for a job.
A.556779 | B.558366 |
C.766588 | D.633800 |
___________ are needed in AL Hotel.
A.Cleaners | B.Baby-sitters |
C.Reporters | D.Waiters |
If you are a college student of English who enjoys writing, during your summer holidays you will be more interested in the job in _____.
A.ad. 1 | B.ad. 2 |
C.ad. 3 | D.ad. 4 |
Certain people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel as if you’ve known them half your life. These people have something in common. And once you know what it is, we can try to do it ourselves.
How is it done? Here are several skills that good talkers have. If you follow the skills, they will help you to put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly.
First of all, good talkers have asked questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, “At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It’s a common question, but it will get things going.” From there you can move on to other matters ----sometimes to really personal questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.
Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen for the answers. This point seems clear, but it isn’t. Your question should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively.
Real listening at least means some things. First it means not to change the subject of conversation. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he is really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to the tone (语调)of voice. If the voice sounds dull, then it’s time for you to change the subject.
Finally, good talkers know well how to deal with the occasion of parting. If you’re saying goodbye, you may give him a firm shakehand and say, “I’ve really enjoyed meeting you.” If you want to see that person again, don’t keep it a secret. Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away feeling as if they’ve known you half their lives.You’ll like to stay with some people____.
A.who have something in common with you |
B.when you get into real trouble |
C.with whom you feel it easy to get along well |
D.from whom you can get necessary and timely help |
After asking somebody a question, you should____.
A.make it clear what is fit to ask next |
B.wait quietly for his answers |
C.go on to ask more questions |
D.change the subject to another one |
If you want to see that person again,____ when parting.
A.let him know what you feel |
B.giving them a firm shakehand |
C.asking proper questions and being a good listener |
D.keeping talking to others to them in the conversation |
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Basic Photography
This is an eight-hour course for beginners who want to learn how to use a 35 mm camera. The teacher will cover such area as kinds of film, light, and lenses. Bring your own 35 mm camera to class.
Course charge:$50.00
Jan,10,12,17,19 Tues. & Thurs. 6:00~8:00 p.m
Marianne Adams is a professional photographer whose photographs appear in many magazines.
Understanding Computers
This twelve-hours course is for people who don’t know very much about computers, but who need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and can’t do, and how to use them.
Course charge:$75.00
Equipment charge:$10.00
Jan,14,21,28 Sat. 9:00~11:50 a.m
Joseph Samders is Professor of Computer Science at New Urban University. He has over twelve years of experience in the computer field.
Stop Smoking
Do you want to stop smoking? Have you already tried to stop and failed? Now it is time to stop smoking using the latest methods. You can stop smoking and this twelve-hour course will help you do it.
Course charge:$30.00
Jan,4,11,18,25 Mon.4:00~7:00 p.m
Dr John Goldds is a practicing psychologist(心理学家) who has helped hundreds of people stop smoking.
Typing
This course on weekday is for typing. You are tested in the first class and practise at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each programme lasts 20 hours. Bring your own paper.
Course charge:$125.00
Material charge:$25.00
Two hours each evening for two weeks.
New class begin every two weeks.
This course is taught by a number of business education teachers who have successfully taught typing course before.The word “professional” in
this passage most probably means____.
A.spiritual | B.journalist | C.professor | D.experienced |
The shortest course is____.
A. Basic Photography B. Understanding Computers
C. Stop Smoking D. TypingThere are typing courses____.
A.on Saturdays and Sundays |
B.from Monday to Friday |
C.from Monday to Saturday |
D.on each day in the week |
What kind of article is the passage?
A.A Novel. | B.A news report. |
C.An advertisement. | D.A story. |
Personal computers and the Internet give people new choices about how to spend their time.
Some may use this freedom to share less time with certain friends or family members, but new technology will also let them stay in closer touch with those they care most about. I know this from personal experience.
E-mail makes it easy to work at home, which is where I now spend most weekends and evenings. My working hours aren’t necessarily much shorter than they once were but I spend fewer of them at the office. This lets me share more time with my young daughter than I might have if she’d been born before electronic mail became such a practical tool.
The Internet also makes it easy to share thoughts with a group of friends. Say you do something fun or see a great movie, perhaps there are four or five friends who might want to hear about it. If you call each one, you may get tired of telling the story.
With E-mail, you just write one note about your experience at your convenience, and address it to all the friends you think might be interested. They can read your message when they have time, and read only as much as they want to. They can reply at their convenience, and you can read what they have to say at your convenience.
E-mail is also an inexpensive way to stay in close touch with people who live far away. Quite a few parents use E-mail to keep in touch, even daily touch, with their children off at college.
We just have to keep in mind that computers and the Internet offer another way of staying in touch. They don’t take the place of any of the old ways.The purpose of this passage is to ________.
A.explain how to use the Internet |
B.describe the writer’s joy of keeping up with the latest technology |
C.tell the merits(价值) and usefulness of the Internet |
D.introduce the reader to basic knowledge about personal computers and the Internet |
The use of E-mail has made it possible for the writer to ________.
A.spend less time working |
B.have more free time with his child |
C.work at home on weekends |
D.work at a speed comfortable to him |
According to the writer, E-mail has an obvious advantage over the telephone because the former helps one ________.
A.reach a group of people at one time conveniently |
B.keep one’s communication as personal as possible |
C.pass on much more information than the later |
D.get in touch with one’s friends faster than the later |
The best title for this passage is ________.
A. Computer: New Technological Advances
B. Internet: New Tool to Maintain Good Friendship
C. Computers Have Made Life Easier
Internet: a Convenient Tool for Communication