I arrived in the classroom, ready to share my knowledge and experience with 75 students who would be my English Literature class. Having taught in for 17 years, I had no about my ability to hold their attention and to on them my admiration for the literature of my mother tongue.
I was shocked when the monitor shouted, “ !” and the entire class rose as I entered the room, and I was somewhat about how to get them to sit down again, but once that awkwardness (尴尬) was over, I quickly my calmness and began what I thought was a fact-packed lecture, sure to gain their respect --- perhaps their admiration. I went back to my office with the rosy glow which comes from a sense of achievements.
My students diaries. However, as I read them, the rosy glow was gradually by a strong sense of sadness. The first diary said, “Our literature teacher didn’t teach us anything today. her next lecture will be better.” Greatly surprised , I read diary after diary , each expressing a theme (主题). “Didn’t I teach them anything? I described the entire philosophical (哲学的) framework of Western thought and laid the historical for all the works we’ll study in class,” I complained. “How they say I didn’t teach them anything?”
It was a long term, and it became clear that my ideas about education were not the same as of my students. I thought a teacher’s job was to raise questions and provide enough background so that students could their own conclusions. My students thought a teacher’s job was to provide information as directly and clearly as possible. What a difference!
, I also learned a lot, and my experience with my Chinese students has made me a American teacher, knowing how to teach in a different culture.
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A great many people are disappointed because of unrealistic expectations.
Walking up to a department store’s 1 counter, an attractive young woman said, “I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?”
“Only one 2 per yard,” replied the smirking (自鸣得意的) male clerk.
Not to be taken back by the funny words, the woman said, “That’s fine! I’ll take ten yards.”
With 3 written all over his face, the clerk hurriedly 4 out and wrapped the cloth, and then held it out teasingly, leaning forward to receive his “ 5 ”.
The woman got the package quickly from the clerk and pointed to a little old 6 standing beside her. “Grandpa will pay the bill instead of me,” she 7 .
He was no doubt disappointed. But in the course of living, many people are 8 when others do not 9 their expectations. In order to be happy, some expectations must be dropped. These three particular 10 and unhealthy expectations are some of the main causes:
1. Expect too much 11 .When others say, “Thank you,” or in any way to show their gratitude, be happy. It is a gift!
2. Expect others to make you happy. They simply cannot do that. Make yourself happy and 12 your joy with others.
3. Expect not to be 13 . At times, people will simply not come through for you in the way you need. 14 them and move on.
Get rid of these three unrealistic expectations and you can begin to expect more15 right away!
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A friend of mine was sitting in the living room one day when his cat dragged in a little “gift” in its mouth—a dead animal of some sort. Taking a closer look, he was surprised to 36 it as the bunny(小兔子) that 37 Mary, the young daughter of the family next door. My friend felt 38 , believing his cat had killed Mary’s bunny.
My quick-thinking friend came up with a plan. 39 from the cat’s mouth the dead animal, which by now was a 40 mess, he put it in the kitchen sink. With a little warm water and some shampoo, he tried to 41 the dead bunny as best he could. Then he took a hair dryer and blowdried the bunny 42 it looked pretty good.
Finally, under the cover of darkness, he crept into the next-door garden and placed it 43 in the cage. He managed to make the bunny look very 44 there in his little box.
The next morning, my friend looked out of the window and noticed a crowd of people 45 around the rabbit hutch(笼). Everyone seemed to be talking and pointing. My friend 46 to go over and act like any normal 47 neighbor and find out what was going on.
When he got there, Mary’s mother said to my friend, “You won’t believe this! It’s a(n) 48 thing! Mary’s bunny 49 a few days ago, and we buried that little bunny right over there…”
Have you ever tried to cover up one wrongdoing with another? Covering up only makes matters 50 .
When we get caught doing something 51 , for example, we may 52 to cover it up with a lie. But just like Mary’s bunny, the result is 53 what we expected. We 54 looking foolish. We would have been better off admitting we were wrong and accepting the 55 . What do you think of it?
A．treat B．catch C．appreciate D．recognize
A．looked for B．got along C．belonged to D．resulted from
A．pleased B．terrible C．confused D．excited
A．Looking B．Removing C．Preventing D．Hearing
A．dirty B．lovely C．gifted D．strange
A．dress up B．bring up C．clean up D．make up
A．whenever B．though C．before D．until
A．carefully B．strangely C．especially D．wonderfully
A．serious B．accurate C．balanced D．natural
A．cheered B．gathered C．ran D．looked
A．wished B．decided C．hesitated D．meant
A．anxious B．discouraged C．wise D．curious
A．strange B．difficult C．committed D．annoying
A．passed away B．ran away C．set out D．went up
A．more B．worse C．better D．faster
A．exciting B．perfect C．strange D．wrong
A．refuse B．attempt C．promise D．pretend
A．often B．just C．always D．never
A．get down B．end up C．go through D．set out
A．consequences B．opportunities C．expectations D．choices
My first memories of acts of kindness are from when I was about 12 years old．I always 21 people as soon as possible with whatever they needed．
At that time, I noticed that many 22 people had difficulty going to the grocery store 23 a snowstorm．I would spend part of a 24 Saturday knocking on my elderly neighbor’s apartment doors to ask if they 25 anything from the store．The 26 was down a hill and I would bring back a couple of bags of goods for them．I liked it and it made them so 27 , too．
My friends asked me 28 I was doing and after some time some of them 29 in and it became a 30 as time went by．I 31 asked for money for what I did, but sometimes the old ladies would 32 the change in my pocket secretly．The next time I would buy some flowers or cards for them．
When I went to college, many of these people would 33 my mother about me, 34 my mother didn’t always know who they were．It was through those 35 between my mother and these people that she 36 what I used to do for them — I had never told her．
I 37 helping others when I was 12 and it 38 until today．Now, I’m a teacher and teaching my students the art of true 39 ．At first I wrote this for my diary, but my mother said why not 40 it with everyone．I hope this inspires younger people and the old alike．
A．helped B．gave C．cared D．offered
A．lazy B．tired C．kind D．old
A．after B．before C．until D．since
A．fine B．snowy C．funny D．busy
A．got B．fetched C．needed D．took
A．store B．factory C．hospital D．college
A．sad B．happy C．strange D．young
A．whether B．when C．why D．what
A．turned B．looked C．gave D．joined
A．rule B．habit C．tradition D．custom
A．never B．usually C．always D．sometimes
A．put B．choose C．save D．keep
A．think B．ask C．guess D．find
A．but B．and C．so D．or
A．conversations B．discussion C．statements D．speeches
A．knew from B．thought over C．learned about D．talked about
A．finished B．started C．stopped D．lasted
A．pauses B．remains C．continues D．follows
A．love B．kindness C．friendship D．honesty
A．show B．divide C．deliver D．share
Growing trees in the concrete jungle of Los Angels brings neighbors benefits beyond beauty.
As the 36 of TreePeople, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1973, Andy, now 54, has inspired hundreds of thousands of volunteers to 37 plant more than two million trees throughout Southern California.
Tree People 38 tools, blueprints, planting demonstrations, and tree-care supervisors free to all the participants, 39 me. “You will need their support,” Andy said, referring to my neighbors. “ 40
the community behind you, the trees you plant will die in five years.” So I started knocking on doors, hoping to share 41 I’d learnt in Tree People’s seminar(培训班) about the critical role of trees in removing smog from the 42 , cooling our homes and preventing water runoff.
Strange 43 it may seem, some people are afraid of trees. “The roots destroy sidewalks,” one neighbor said, “ 44 will ruin my pipes. And I don’t want leaves.”45 told me.
When I called Andy about the 46 I was getting from my neighbors, he encouraged me to keep trying. So my son and my wife delivered cookies while I went door to door. It 47 us half a year to sign permission forms from 16 neighbors for 21 trees.
When the big day arrived, I was excited and 48 . What if I threw a planting tree and 49 else came? But as I set out shovels(铁铲), my son and wife made cakes and doughnuts, 50 started to gather. Friends brought friends. Neighbors came with cousins and grandchildren. A local middle school even 51 with half the seventh grade. More than 300 people joined us.
Then Andy led us in a 52 : welcoming each tree into the world and 53 it name. After the ceremony, as I shook hands with volunteers and my neighbors, I 54 help but feel we’d accomplished 55 great. After all, trees need people, and people need trees.
A．friend B．interviewer C．president D．volunteer
A．bravely B．actively C．anxiously D．generously
A．supports B．affords C．shows D．provides
A．including B．considering C．containing D．reminding
A．For B．Without C．With D．Except
A．what B．which C．that D．how
A．cloud B．wind C．sky D．air
A．while B．if C．however D．as
A．You B．I C．They D．It
A．The other B．Another C．Other D．Others
A．resistance B．acceptance C．agreement D．praise
A．spent B．paid C．took D．covered
A．moved B．disappointed C．surprised D．nervous
A．everybody B．nobody C．somebody D．anybody
A．volunteers B．journalists C．friends D．neighbors
A．made up B．took up C．showed up D．cheered up
A．ceremony B．march C．activity D．celebration
A．calling B．leaving C．making D．giving
A．wouldn’t B．shouldn’t C．couldn’t D．needn’t
A．anything B．something C．nothing D．everything
In my whole childhood I focused on training to play professional soccer. Through the mid 90’s I 36 through Olympic training and on June 13,1997 I was 37 with a minor league team, when a 16-year-old boy ran a stop sign(闯红灯).That night 38 my life. I was on my motorcycle and got 39 by a car, partly disabling me six months. I lost most of my memory, 40 coma (昏迷)symptom and had to learn to 41 all over. During the coming 24 months of physical treatment I changed my 42 of life.
I began making 43 as if each day was my last day 44. Before the 45 , I was studying at a university. I was taught that the 46 of life was to study career skills and pursue financial 47. After returning from near death I went 48 searching. I traveled through the native reservation of the northern USA and witnessed the most extreme 49. I slowly realized there was so much more to 50 than just doing things for myself. I started listening to the people I met and 51 to help them any way possible.
Everywhere I stayed I met 52 people telling me stories about 53 the earth and making better use of nature’s energy. In 2005 my father quickly died from cancer and I 54 the desire to do much of anything for myself. I started looking for well-off people to aid those 55. I’ve ac
cumulated a list of people nearing life threatening situations or those trying to make a major effect on the world and now I try to help them full time.
A．advanced B．fought C．looked D．won
A．playing B．working C．competing D．coming
A．corrected B．influenced C．destroyed D．changed
A．run B．hit C．knocked D．stuck
A．spread B．caught C．showed D．suffered
A．walk B．talk C．eat D．drive
A．duty B．view C．course D．dream
A．decisions B．discoveries C．promises D．studies
A．possible B．available C．present D．alive
A．event B．experience C．difficulty D．disaster
A．reality B．value C．purpose D．content
A．balance B．situation C．stability D．expense
B．spirit C．heart D．soul
A．poverty B．anxiety C．anger D．simplicity
A．nature B．society C．life D．happiness
A．refused B．volunteered C．tended D．learned
A．wonderful B．famous C．wealthy D．cautious
A．developing B．exploring C．respecting D．understanding
A．realized B．controlled C．gained D．lost
A．in despair B．in need C．in touch D．in season