Why are so many people so afraid to fail? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure(失败)becomes an experience that means growth．We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail．
Most parents work hard at preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed．One way is to lower standards(标准)．When a child finishes making a table, the mother describes it as “perfect” even though it doesn't stand still．Another way is to blame(责怪)others．If John fails in science, his teacher is unfair or stupid．
There's a problem with the two ways．It makes a child unprepared for life in the real world．The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time, and that it's possible to enjoy a game even when you don't win．A child who's not invited to a birthday party, who doesn't make the honour list on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course．But parents should not offer a quick consolations(安慰), prize or say, “It doesn't matter．” Because it does．The young should be allowed to experience failure and be helped to come out of it．
Failure never gives people pleasure．It hurts both grown-ups and children．But it can be really good to your life when you learn to use it．You must learn to ask “Why did I fail? ” Don't blame anyone else．Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve．If someone else can help, don't be shy about asking them．
(1)
How do most parents prevent their children from failure?
[ ]
A．
They give them some presents．
B．
They don't tell them that they have failed．
C．
They don't blame others．
D．
They help them to come out of failure．
(2)
Which of the following can a person learn when he fails?
[ ]
A．
It's impossible to enjoy a game if he misses it．
B．
He is the worst of all．
C．
It's natural not to win a game and no one can win all the time．
D．
His teammates are not good enough．
(3)
The writer of this article thinks that if a child fails, parents should ________．
Jeanne Calment took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age114．and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121 st birthday．
When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder．She lived to the ripe old age of 122．So is 122 the upper limit(限制)to the human life span(寿命)?If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150－or beyond?
Researchers don't entirely agree on the answers．“Calment lived．to 122, SO it wouldn't sul33rise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135,”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas．
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees．“People can live longer than we think．”he says．“Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110．When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 1 20．So why can’t we go higher?”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing．“Anyone can make up a number．”says Rich Miller at the University, of guessing
Michigan．“Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine．”
Won’t new anti－aging techniques keep us alive for centuries?Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of HS living until about 120．Researchers are working on treatments that make the life span of mice longer by 50 percent at most．
So, if the average(平均)human life span is about 80 years, says Miller,“adding another 50 percent would get you to 120．”
So what can we learn from this little disagreement among the researchers?That life span is flexible(有弹性的), but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington．“We can get flies to live 50 percent longer．”he says．“But a fly'snever going to live 150 years．”Of course, if you became a new species(物种), one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds．
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve(进化)their way to longer life?“It’s pretty cool to think about．”He says with a smile．
(1)
What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
[ ]
A．
People can live to 122．
B．
Old people are creative．
C．
Women are sporty at 85．
D．
Women live longer than men．
(2)
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ________
[ ]
A．
the average human life span could be 110
B．
scientists cannot find ways to slow aging
C．
few people can expect to live to over 150
D．
experts aren’t sure how long one can live
(3)
Who thinks that a scientist will become famous if he makes longevity?
[ ]
A．
Jerry Shay．
B．
Steve Austad．
C．
Rich Miller．
D．
George Martin．
(4)
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
[ ]
A．
Most of us could be good at sports even at 120．
B．
The average human life span cannot be doubled．
C．
Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before．
D．
New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species．
Do you know what Oscar is?When did it start?Maybe you can find the background of the awards in the following passage．
The awards started in 1929．Their full title is“The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards”．The Academy is a group of people who have worked in the film industry for many years．They decide who will receive the awards．The awards are often referred to as the“Oscar”．This is a nickname given to the awards by a lady called Margaret Herrick．She was once the director of the Academy and she once said that the little gold statue reminded her of her uncle Oscar!
The Oscar is always an exciting event．Each year，at least one unusual thing happens．When the Italian actor and director Roberto Benigni won an Oscar for best foreign film，he danced on stage!When Gwyneth Paltrow．the star of Shakespeare in Love won the Oscar for best actress，she could not make her acceptance speech because she was crying so much with happiness!
In 1987，Roberto Benigni won the award for best director for a film about the last emperor of China．Since then，Chinese film and actors have started to make an impact at the award．Crouching Tiger，Hidden Dragon was a huge success and it won the award for best foreign language film in 2001．It also won several technical awards for its amazing“flying”people．We expect to see more awards for Chinese film in the near future．
It's time for the Oscar again．Once more，the stars will dress up in their finest and go to Kodar Theater．There，they will find out who had won the awards for best actor，best actress and best director．Millions of people watch the awards every year to find out who the winners are．Some people watch it to see the stars crying and laughing as they receive their awards．
(1)
Who give the awards?
A．In 1927．
B．Oscar．
C．The Academy of Nicknames．
D．A group of people who have worked in the film industry for many years．
Jack is a twenty-year-old young man．Two years ago, when he finished middle school, he found work in a shop．Usually he works until ten o’clock in the evening．He is very tired when he gets home．After a quick supper he goes to bed and soon falls asleep．His grandma who lives downstairs is pleased with him．
One day, on his way home, he met his friend Mary．They were both happy．He asked the girl to his house, and she agreed happily．He bought some fruit and drinks for her．And they talked about their school, teachers, classmates and their future．They talked for a long time．
“Have a look at your watch, please,”said the girl．“What time is it now?”
“Sorry, something is wrong with my watch,”said Jack．“Where’s yours?”
“I left it at home．”
Jack thought for a moment and found a way．He began to stamp his foot on the floor, “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The sound woke his grandma up．The old woman shouted downstairs, “It’s twelve o’clock in the night, Jack．Why are you still jumping upstairs?”
(1)
Jack was ________ when he finished middle school．
[ ]
A．
sixteen
B．
eighteen
C．
twenty
D．
fifteen
(2)
The old woman is satisfied with Jack because ________．
[ ]
A．
he’s her grandson
B．
he’s clever
C．
he can keep quiet
D．
he gets home on time
(3)
From the story, we can know that Mary is Jack’s ________．
[ ]
A．
classmate
B．
colleague (同事)
C．
aunt
D．
wife
(4)
The word “stamp” in the story means ________ in Chinese．
[ ]
A．
盖印
B．
跺
C．
贴邮票
D．
承认
(5)
Jack stamped his foot on the floor inorderto (为了)________．
