When you make a mistake, big or small, cherish it like it’s the most precious thing in the world.Because in some ways, it is.
Most of us feel bad when we make mistakes, beat ourselves up about it, feel like failures, get mad at ourselves.
And that’s only natural: most of us have been taught from a young age that mistakes are bad, that we should try to avoid mistakes.We’ve been scolded when we make mistakes—at home, school and work.Maybe not always, but probably enough times to make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction.
Yet without mistakes, we could not learn or grow.If you think about it that way, mistakes should be cherished and celebrated for being one of the most amazing things in the world: they make learning possible; they make growth and improvement possible.
By trial and error—trying things, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes—we have figured out how to make electric light, to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, to fly.
Mistakes make walking possible for the smallest toddler, make speech possible, make works of genius possible.
Think about how we learn: we don’t just consume information about something and instantly know it or know how to do it.You don’t just read about painting, or writing, or computer programming, or baking, or playing the piano, and know how to do them right away.Instead, you get information about something, from reading or from another person or from observing, then you make mistakes and repeat, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, until you’ve pretty much learned how to do something.That’s how we learn as babies and toddlers, and how we learn as adults.Mistakes are how we learn to do something new—because if you succeed at something, it’s probably something you already knew how to do.You haven’t really grown much from that success—at most it’s the last step on your journey, not the whole journey.Most of the journey was made up of mistakes, if it’s a good journey.
So if you value learning, if you value growing and improving, then you should value mistakes.They are amazing things that make a world of brilliance possible.Why do most of us feel bad about making mistakes?
| A.Because mistakes make us suffer a lot. |
| B.Because it’s a natural part in our life. |
| C.Because we’ve been taught so from a young age. |
| D.Because mistakes have ruined many people’s careers. |
According to the passage, what is the right attitude to mistakes?
| A.We should try to avoid making mistakes. |
| B.We should owe great inventions mainly to mistakes. |
| C.We should treat mistakes as good chances to learn. |
| D.We should make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction. |
The underlined word “toddler” in Paragraph 6 probably means_________.
| A.a small child learning to walk |
| B.a kindergarten child learning to draw |
| C.a primary pupil learning to read |
| D.a school teenager learning to write |
We can learn from the passage that_________.
| A.most of us can really grow from success |
| B.growing and improving are based on mistakes |
| C.we learn to make mistakes by trial and error |
| D.we read about something and know how to do it right away |
I remember the first time that I was extremely happy, I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself a limitless number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn’t even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too.
I’ve noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth and achievements.
Success , wealth or achievements can also bring some people happiness , yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy . I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing .I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys , such as cars , computers ,and televisions ,yet never seem content for too long .Please remember , happiness is the journey of life , not the destination.What can we know from Paragraph 1?
| A.The author has a great talent for algebra. |
| B.Creative thinking is necessary for every child. |
| C.The BASIC code of the computer is not difficult. |
| D.The author’s experience in his childhood changed his life. |
The author wants to tell us through the first paragraph that___________.
| A.interest is the best teacher |
| B.children are the hope of the future |
| C.young people are fearless |
| D.where there’s a will , there’s a way |
What is the secret of happiness in the author’s opinion?
| A.Success and wealth. |
| B.Gifts and self-confidence. |
| C.Enthusiasm and good health. |
| D.Knowledge and achievements. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that ___________.
| A.rich people generally feel unhappy |
| B.wealth can’t bring people any happiness |
| C.one will feel unhappy once he has gained all the things he wants |
| D.being enthusiastic about what you are doing is more important than wealth |
The nose is used in many popular expressions. Some people are able to lead other people by the nose. For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose, she makes him do whatever she wants him to do. Some people are said to be hard-nosed. They will not change their opinions or positions on anything.
It is always helpful when people keep their nose out of other people’s business. They do not interfere (干涉). The opposite of this is someone who noses around all the time. Such people are interested in other people’s private matters. They’re considered nosy. Someone who keeps his nose to the grindstone (磨石) works very hard. This can help a worker keep his nose clean or stay out of trouble.
One unusual expression is that is no skin off my nose. This means that a situation doesn’t affect or concern me. We also say that sometimes a person cuts off his nose to spite his face. That is, he makes a situation bad for himself by doing something foolish because he is angry.
More problems can develop if a person looks down his nose at someone or something. The person acts as if something is unimportant or worthless. This person might also turn up his nose at something that he considers not good enough. This person thinks he is better than everyone else. He has his nose in the air.
In school, some students thumb their nose at their teacher. They refuse to obey orders or do any work. Maybe the students do not know the correct answers. My mother always told me when I was a student, “If you study hard, the answers should be right under your nose or easily seen.”If we say a wife leads her husband by the nose, we probably mean she _____.
| A.loves her husband very much |
| B.controls her husband’s actions |
| C.gets on well with her husband |
| D.does whatever her husband wants her to do |
Which of the following expressions could be used to tell someone to stay away from your private affairs?
| A.Don’t keep your nose to the grindstone. |
| B.Keep your nose out of my business. |
| C.Please keep your nose clean. |
| D.You are really hard-nosed. |
We can use the expression “has his/her nose in the air” to describe someone _____.
| A.who is too proud of himself/herself |
| B.who is very angry about something |
| C.who often makes a situation bad |
| D.who doesn’t care about anything |
If a student thumbs his/her nose at his/her teacher, the teacher would most probably feel _____.
| A.happy | B.excited | C.angry | D.relaxed |
“I can’t concentrate.” “My mind wanders when I try to study.” Lack of concentration is one of the most common complaints heard at school.
We all have the ability to concentrate. Think of the times when you were attracted to a super novel or the times when you were playing your guitar or piano. But at other times your mind races from one thing to another. Here are some tips.
Rest from time to time. Remember to take short breaks. Lectures are usually 50 minutes long, and that’s about the length of time most people can direct their attention to one task. But that’s just an average. Your concentration time might be shorter (20-35 minutes) or longer (perhaps 90 minutes).When you take a break, you get more oxygen to your brain! When we sit for long periods, blood tends to be pooled in our lower body and legs. Get up and walk around the room for a couple of minutes. As a result, more oxygen is carried to the brain and you can concentrate better.
_______________If you study one subject for a long time, you may find it hard to concentrate. Many students improve their concentration by changing one subject to another every one to two hours. In this way you can pay more attention to something that’s different.
Reward yourself. Give yourself a reward when you’ve completed a task. The task might be small, such as staying with a difficult paper until you’ve finished. But giving yourself a reward can help you be more interested in doing other tasks.
Increase your activity level. Your concentration wanders more easily if you just read an article straight through. Instead, take the heading for each part and turn it into a question. For this part, that would be, “How can I increase my activity level while studying?” Then study that part to answer that question. Do this routinely. The questions give us a focus for each part and increase our involvement(参与).According to Paragraph 3, what’s the purpose of walking around?
| A.To help us stay fit. |
| B.To benefit our lower body. |
| C.To provide the brain with more oxygen. |
| D.To increase our concentration time to 90 minutes. |
What’s the best title for Paragraph 4?
| A.Study for one hour each time. |
| B.Do something difficult. |
| C.Study in different ways. |
| D.Change subjects. |
In the last paragraph, the writer suggests that______.
| A.we just read the heading of some articles |
| B.we do our best to read an article straight through |
| C.we ask ourselves questions about what we are reading |
| D.we ask other people questions about the article we are reading |
The writer wrote the passage to______.
| A.encourage us to try to concentrate |
| B.teach us how to concentrate while studying |
| C.give us the reasons for a lack of concentration |
| D.list the benefits we can get from concentration |
You might notice something new in the next few years as you watch Disney programs: Starting in 2015, there won’t be any candy, sugary cereal or fast-food commercials aimed at kids.
The Walt Disney Company has become the first major media company to ban ads for junk food on its TV channels, radio stations and websites. It hopes this will stop kids from making poor food choices.
First Lady Michelle Obama called it a “game changer” that is sure to send a message to the rest of the children’s entertainment industry. “Just a few years ago, if you had told me or any other mom or dad in America that our kids wouldn’t see a single ad for junk food while they watched their favorite cartoons on a major TV network, we wouldn't have believed you,” said the First Lady, who heads a campaign to help stop child obesity.
The ban would apply to Disney-owned ABC stations as well as Radio Disney and Disney-owned websites aimed at families with young children. In addition, Disney plans to make changes to its kids’ menus at theme parks and resorts(度假胜地). Fast-food options will be replaced with healthier choices, such as smoothies(果汁), apples, vegetables and yogurt.
In addition to candy bars and fast-food meals, other foods that don’t meet Disney’s nutritional standards will be banned from the company’s kid-targeted media. Any cereal with 10 grams or more of sugar per serving will be off the air. There will be no ads for full meals of more than 600 calories. Juices with high levels of sugar and foods with too much salt will also be pulled.
Leslie Goodman, Disney’s senior vice-president of Corporate Citizenship, said a company that wants to advertise will need to show that it offers a range of healthy options.
Disney isn’t the only one pushing away unhealthy foods. Last week, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested a ban on drinks over 16 ounces sold in movie theaters, restaurants and convenience stores in the Big Apple. He says large, sugary drinks are partly to blame for obesity.What will the Walt Disney Company do from 2015?
| A.Produce more and better cartoons for young kids. |
| B.Stop broadcasting advertisements for junk food on TV. |
| C.Help kids develop healthy lifestyle in the program. |
| D.Provide healthier food for kids while they are watching programs. |
What Michelle Obama said suggests that while watching cartoons _________.
| A.kids didn’t believe what the commercials said |
| B.kids don’t enjoy eating candy, sugary cereal or junk food |
| C.kids would see a lot of fast-food commercials on TV |
| D.kids find pleasure in watching fast-food commercials |
The underlined phrase “be off the air” in Paragraph 5 probably means “________”.
| A.not be broadcast | B.be in need |
| C.become popular | D.be praised |
According to Michael Bloomberg, to fight child obesity, kids should ____________.
| A.watch fewer cartoons | B.drink less sugary drinks |
| C.not go to movie theaters | D.take more physical exercise |
After living in the United States for quite a long time, I do not think about the cultural differences any more. Last month, my parents came to visit me. Their observations (观察) on the American lifestyle reminded me that cultural differences between living in China and America are actually everywhere.
When my parents came to America, they praised my house. Everyone had his/her own bedroom; there was a front yard, a backyard and a garage; there were many bathrooms – all convenient and comfortable. However, they were not used to the glass doors at the first floor. My mom, from southern China, was worried that someone would break open the glass doors. Though I said that nobody would do that, she was still worried about it.
When I brought them to eat in fast food restaurants, whether it was in McDonald’s or KFC, they saw that refilling drinks was for free. This concept (观念) of free refill was so new to them.
A Chinese friend told me a story. He and his American girlfriend ate at a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted to drink English tea. He was curious, so he tried some and found that it didn’t taste bad with milk and sugar in it. Adding more water to tea is free of course, so he drank more cups. His girlfriend found it embarrassing and explained to him that what he was doing was not exactly fair. If he wanted to drink more tea, he should buy another cup. My friend thought that Americans could take advantage of the free refills, but only a few of them did that. After staying in America for some time, he changed his habit.We can infer that the writer _____.
| A.doesn’t like American culture |
| B.has got used to her life in America |
| C.received an American education as a child |
| D.thinks American and Chinese cultures are the same |
What made the writer’s parents worried?
| A.That someone would break into the house. |
| B.That someone would be hurt by the glass doors. |
| C.That they wouldn’t have a bedroom of their own. |
| D.That they wouldn’t live comfortably in the house. |
When eating at McDonald’s for the first time in America, the writer’s parents were probably surprised that _____.
| A.there were so many choices |
| B.the prices for food were so low |
| C.they could refill drinks for free |
| D.they could get extra food for free |
The American girl mentioned in the last paragraph thought that _____.
| A.Americans like taking advantage of other people |
| B.her boyfriend wouldn’t like traditional English tea |
| C.drinking too much English tea harmed people’s health |
| D.her boyfriend shouldn’t take advantage of the free refills |