Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, fundingcuts, and many other administrative chores and started to dream of retirement.Sitting in trafficon a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering.I would imagine spending time withmy grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books.Itold myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anythingrequiring a schedule.

    My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me,leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends.On thesecond day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper …On the third day, ...This is retirement? Itried to tell myself that it was just the transition, that those golden moments were right roundthe corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough.But something was missing.

    A former colleague asked a favor.A group of students was going to Jamaica to work withchildren in the poorest neighbourhood.Would I interrupt my newfound "happiness" and returnto the students, just this once? One trip.That's all.My bags were packed and by the door.

    The trip was very inspiring.I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by thesense of responsibility of the young people on the trip.When I returned home, I offered to workone day a week with a local youth organization.The experience was so positive that I was soonvolunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.

    Now,it seems, the tables have turned .Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student.These young people have reawakened my commitment to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poorand suffer because of greed, corruption and war.Most importantly, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions.In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas.I've gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!

What did the writer expect to do after he retired?

    A.To stay away from busy schedules.   B.To write some great books.

    C.To do some voluntary work.  D.To plan for his future.

Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?

    A.He missed his students in that country.

    B.He couldn't reflise his colleague's favor.

    C.He was concerned about the people there.

    D.He was not satisfied with his retired life.

The underlined part "the tables have turned" (Paragraph 5 ) means that thewriter

    A.improved the situation in his school B.felt happy to work with students again

    C.became a learner rather than a teacher   D.changed his attitude toward his retired life

What does the writer think of his retired life now?

    A.Disappointing.      B.Troublesome.

    C.Promising.      D.Meaningful.

Topping the class academically was certainly an advantage. Studying was a breeze for

Nigel. The reward was certainly incomparable to the little effort that he had to put it. It begin when he was selected to help the teachers in the computer laboratories.

The peak of his school career came not when he topped the school but when he was selected for the nationwide competition. Unlike everyone else, Nigel wanted to join the contest because he liked playing with the Lego sets and making something out of them. Nigel spent the next two months rebuilding the robot. It was during the time that Nigel found out about the prizes for the competition. Its well us auspices competitor. Alicia, from a neighboring school. His early intentions were forgotten. Getting the thousand-dollar prize was more important than anything else. Nigel decided to befriend Alicia. Unaware of his intentions, she told him all about the robot that she had been building for the competition. He even helped her to put the finishing branches to her robot. He was glad with the way things had progressed. His robot looked even better than Alicia’s and it was able to become a ball with its arms, something Alicia had failed to do.

On the day of the competition, he says Alicia. Everything dawned on her the minute she saw him among the competition. She stared at him, puzzled at first, then angry and finally a look of helplessness came over her.

The flashbulbs of the camera exploded in Nigel’s try. The robot bird performed actions so unique and different that the specialist judgments were the same. Nigel was so personal with himself that he did not even notice the girl standing a few feet away from him. Without her, he would never win the competition.

What reward did Nigel receive for doing well in his school work?

A. He was offered a part-time job      B. He was honored with a scholarship

C. He helped his teacher construct a robot      D. He helped in the computer laboratories

Nigel’s original intention of joining the contest was to ___.

A. be the top student of the school             B. being great honor to his school

C. constructs a robot with the Lego sets         D. wins the thousand-dollar prize

Why did Nigel help Alicia finish her robot?

A. He tried to make friends with her       B. He was fond of building robots

C. He intended to help her               D. He didn’t want her to suspect him

What is the author’s attitude towards Nigel’s actions?

A. He is mildly critical           B. He is strongly critical

C. He is in favor of them          D. His attitude is not clear

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking: "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."...
One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him. Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.
【小题1】The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.

A.musicians’ living conditions are not good
B.people in that town have poor taste in music
C.different people have different attitudes
D.young people are more likely to succeed
【小题2】The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 3 means ______.
A.they’ll push you ahead
B.they’ll have an influence on you
C.they’ll keep you from moving on
D.they’ll help you realize your dreams
【小题3】Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?
A.He is more active than the others.
B.He can earn more than the others.
C.He has more things to do than the others.
D.His attitude is more positive than the others.
【小题4】By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 4, you can ______.
A.make the right kind of friends
B.improve your ability to make friends
C.develop a better relationship with your friends
D.make some new friends with the same interests as you
【小题5】We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.
A.the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend
B.one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people
C.the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends
D.one should avoid making friends with people who have lots of difficulties

I told my friend Graham that I often cycle two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route. He replied, “You mean fortunately.” He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided.
My attitude to the hill has now changed. I used to grumble as I approached it but now I tell myself the following. This hill will exercise my heart and lungs. It will help me to lose weight and get fit. It will mean that I live longer. This hill is my friend. Finally I comfort myself with the thought of all those silly people who pay money to go to a gym and sit on stationery exercise bicycles when I can get the same value for free. I have a smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill.
Problems are there to be faced and overcome. We cannot achieve anything with an easy life. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to gain a university degree. Her activism and writing proved inspirational. She wrote, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can vision be cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.”
One of the key factors of success in life is our attitude towards adversity (逆境). From time to time we all face hardships, problems, accidents, afflictions and difficulties. Some are of our making but many confront us through no fault of our own. While we cannot choose the adversity we can choose our attitude towards it.
Douglas Bader was 21 when in 1931 he had both legs cut off following a flying accident. He was determined to fly again and went on to become one of the leading flying aces in the Battle of Britain with 22 aerial victories over the Germans. He was an inspiration to others during the war. He said, “Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t do this or that. That’s nonsense. Make up your mind, and you’ll never use crutches (拐杖) or a stick, and then have a go at evening. Go to school, and join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.”
The biographies of great people are full of examples of how they took steps to overcome the difficulties they faced. The common thread is that they did not become depressed. They chose their attitude. They chose to be positive. They took on the challenge. They won.
Nevertheless, there is still the problem of how you change your attitude towards adversity.
【小题1】The underlined word “grumble” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.

A.trembleB.complainC.speed up D.slow down
【小题2】Which of the following is true according to the author of the passage?
A.Climbing hills on bicycles is the best way to take exercise.
B.People are wise to pay to go to the gym.
C.Those who want to achieve success can’t expect to live an easy life.
D.People’s attitude towards adversity is the only factor that determines whether they will succeed.
【小题3】By quoting what Douglas Bader said, the author intends to tell us “________”.
A.Failure is the mother of success.
B.A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.
C.If you venture nothing, you will have nothing.
D.Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.
【小题4】Following this passage, the author will further talk about ________.
A.how his friend helped him to change his attitude towards the adversity he faced
B.what steps to take to change your attitude towards the adversity you face
C.what great people have in common
D.why it is important to keep optimistic in face of adversity
【小题5】Which of the following can best function as the title of the passage?
A.Face adversity with a smile
B.Different attitudes towards adversity
C.Nothing is impossible
D.Life is full of adversity

Jerry is a popular manager of a restaurant. It was his attitude  21  made the waiters follow him. He was a natural motivator (鼓舞人心的人). If a(n)  22  was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling him/her how to look on the  23  side of the situation.

This attitude really made me  24, so one day I asked him, “I don’t get it! No one can be a positive person  25. How can you manage it?”

“Every time something bad happens, I can choose to  26  it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining and I can 27  the positive side of life. Why don’t we just do that later?” Jerry said.

Jerry told me an unusual story out of his experience. One day he left the back door of his restaurant  28  and was robbed by three men. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from  29 , slipped off the combination (开启号码的号码组合). The robbers got angry and  30 him.

31 , Jerry was found quickly and taken to the hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of care, Jerry  32  with fragments (碎片) of the bullets (子弹) still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the  33 . I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. “Did you lose consciousness? Weren’t you  34 ?” I asked.

“No,” Jerry said, “35  when I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.”

“A nurse asked if I was allergic (过敏的) to anything. ‘Yes’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped  36  as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘37 !’”

“Over the laughter, I told them, ‘Please  38  on me as if I am alive, not dead.’”

Jerry survived  39  the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. Attitude, after all, is  40 .

1.

A.which

B.that

C.what

D.why

 

2.

A.adviser

B.performer

C.actress

D.employee

 

3.

A.right

B.dark

C.same

D.positive

 

4.

A.regretful

B.curious

C.bored

D.content

 

5.

A.up to now

B.all the time

C.now and then

D.sooner or later

 

6.

A.insist on

B.get close to

C.refer to

D.learn from

 

7.

A.point out

B.pick up

C.build up

D.take up

 

8.

A.open

B.closed

C.shut

D.locked

 

9.

A.happiness

B.eagerness

C.nervousness

D.anger

 

10.

A.shot

B.killed

C.beat

D.hit

 

11.

A.Immediately

B.Fortunately

C.Obviously

D.Suddenly

 

12.

A.died

B.disappeared

C.recovered

D.escaped

 

13.

A.robbery

B.murder

C.sickness

D.meeting

 

14.

A.astonished

B.delighted

C.excited

D.frightened

 

15.

A.so

B.and

C.but

D.or

 

16.

A.to work

B.working

C.to talk

D.talking

 

17.

A.Pills

B.Flowers

C.Bullets

D.Cakes

 

18.

A.operate

B.focus

C.rely

D.carry

 

19.

A.instead of

B.in spite of

C.in place of

D.thanks to

 

20.

A.something

B.none

C.everything

D.any

 

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