In 1974, after filling out fifty applications, going through four interviews, and winning one offer, I look what I could get — a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area: western New Jersey. My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen 一 teaching English.

School started, but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country. Waa this rural area really New Jersey? My students a week off when hunting season began. I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms. I was a young woman from New York City, who thought that “Make hay while the sun shines” just meant to have a good time.

But, still, I was teaching English. I worked hard, taking lime off only to eat and sleep. And then there was my sixth-grade class 一 seventeen boys and five girls who were only six yean younger than me. I had a problem long before I knew it. I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher. I wanted to make literature come alive and lo promote a love of the written word. The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.

In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior. So I did, confident that, as the textbook had said, the bad behavior would disappear as I gave ray students positive attention. It sounds reasonable, but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans, particularly teenagers, rarely seem reasonable. By the time ray boss, who was also ray taskmaster known to be the strictest, most demanding, most quick to fire inexperienced teachers, came into the classroom to observe me, the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.

My boss sat in the back of the room. The boys in the class were making animal noises, hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines. I just pretended it all wasn’t happening, and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions. My boss, sitting in the back of the room, seemed to be growing bigger and bigger. After twenty minutes he left, silently. Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.

I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying, but at my next free period I had to face him. I wondered if he would let me finish out the day. I walked to his office, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

He was sitting in his chair, and he looked at me long and hard. I said nothing. All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher; I had been lying to myself, pretending that everything was fine.

When he spoke, he said simply, without accusation, “You had nothing to say to them.”

“You had nothing to say to them," he repeated. “No wonder they’re bored. Why not get to the meal of the literature and stop talking about symbolism. Talk with them, not at them. And more important, why do you ignore their bad behavior?” We talked. He named ray problems and offered solutions. We role-played. He was the bad student, and I was the forceful, yet, warm, teacher.

As the year progressed, we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations. He helped me identify my weaknesses and my strengths. In short, he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson's words: “The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil.”

Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school. Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year, the school is my home now.

55. It can be inferred from the story that in 1974 ______.

A. the writer became an optimistic person

B. the writer was very happy about her new job

C. it was rather difficult to get a job in the USA

D. it was easy to get a teaching job in New Jersey

56. According to the passage, which of the following is most probably the writer’s problem as a new teacher?

A. She had blind trust in what she learnt at college.

B. She didn’t ask experienced teachers for advice.

C. She took too much time off to eat and sleep.

D. She didn’t like teaching English literature.

57. What is the writer’s biggest worry after her taskmaster's observation of her class?

A. She might lose her teaching job.

B. She might lose her students’ respect.

C. She couldn’t teach the same class any more.

D. She couldn’t ignore her students’ bad behavior any more.

58. Which of the following gives the writer a sense of mild victory?

A. Her talk about symbolism sounded convincing.

B. Her students behaved a little better than usual.

C. She managed to finish the class without crying.

D. She was invited for a talk by her boss after class.

59. The students behaved badly in the writer's classes because ______.

A. they were eager to embarrass her

B. she didn't really understand them

C. they didn't regard her as a good teacher

D. she didn’t have a good command of English

60. The taskmaster’s attitude towards the writer after his observation of her class can be best described as ______.

A. cruel but encouraging                        B. fierce but forgiving

C. sincere and supportive                       D. angry and aggressive

People often fall ill because of me.   36 , they can hardly blame me; it is largely their own  37 . A tired person may get  38 , especially when he goes to crowded places with polluted air. A sudden change in   39   is another factor. In hot summer, people turn on the air-conditioner upon returning home. They will catch a cold easily.
My latest victim is an energetic student. After school, he played football hard for two hours. Though 40 . He still went to the cinema. Then he got back home and took a cold shower immediately.
I seized this golden chance to   41  him. He reacted, trying to   42  me, but I was already  43  deep in his throat. He kept sneezing(打喷嚏) and his nose was running.   44   he put on some warm clothes, it didn’t work, for there were too many of us. Besides, his sore throat kept  45 him, and he developed a cough to force me and my family out, but   46  .
The next day he couldn’t go to    47  .He had lost his appetite and was not as   48   as before. His mother made him orange juice every few hours for more vitamin C, which would help his  49  .
For two days he was  50  by his mother. As he rested more, his defense strengthened and I began lo feel the   51  . I knew I had to   52   him before long. But I am not the one who gives up easily, and I made every effort to fight back.   53   , it was my turn to feel   54   now, for his defense system was starting an all-out attack against me. I became   55  and finally my time was over.
Do you know what I am?

【小题1】
A.ThereforeB.BesidesC.HoweverD.Then
【小题2】
A.businessB.responsibilityC.excuseD.fault
【小题3】
A.punishedB.blamedC.caughtD.killed
【小题4】
A.temperatureB.seasonC.placeD.condition
【小题5】
A.excitedB.hurtC.lateD.tired
【小题6】
A.injureB.bother C.attackD.destroy
【小题7】
A.get on withB.get rid ofC.put up withD.take hold of
【小题8】
A.reproducingB.waitingC.hidingD.disappearing
【小题9】
A.Since B.OnceC.WhetherD.Although
【小题10】
A.remindingB.upsettingC.comfortingD.influencing
【小题11】
A.escaped B.succeededC.regrettedD.failed
【小题12】
A.bedB.workC.school D.hospital
【小题13】
A.peacefulB.afraidC.activeD.happy
【小题14】
A.recoveryB.developmentC.studyD.growth
【小题15】
A.protectedB.nursedC.scoldedD.affected
【小题16】
A.lossB.operationC.pressureD.movement
【小题17】
A.leaveB.catchC.forgetD.beat
【小题18】
A.UncertainlyB.UnsuccessfullyC.UnusuallyD.Unfortunately
【小题19】
A.painfulB.disappointedC.nervousD.ashamed
【小题20】
A.biggerB.weakerC.smallerD.stronger

Holidays are really important. Many of us will have childhood memories of summer holidays where we were taken away from home to experience new environments and learn in different ways.

But holidays are expensive and, for those on low wages or living on benefits, they are often unobtainable. Even the cheapest holidays require travel and other additional costs that are difficult for many families to meet.

For working parents, the long summer break can be a very difficult problem for childcare. When an annual leave allowance amounts to only five weeks, there is a need to spread this across the year. Couples can find themselves taking leave in turn in order to care for children who are on holiday. For some, this makes even an affordable family holiday difficult.

The schools that I visit in Nottingham are full of experienced staff committed to giving our children a caring and inspiring learning environment. The number of children receiving free school meals is quite large in Nottingham and many schools have breakfast clubs to make sure that children get a healthy start to the day. Most schools undertake programs of group or individual educational support. Schools also have an important role in sofeguaiding children's welfare through the ongoing touch and support with their pupils. During the long summer holidays, much of this is missed.

While teachers are holidaying in the UK, many of their pupils spend the whole six weeks on the street where they live. The lack of free school meals for six weeks can result in pressure on a family budget and an inability to afford the inspiring experiences that help children to continue their learning.

In setting out its plans for a five-term year, Nottingham City Council (委员会)is seeking to reduce the summer holiday down lo four and a half weeks, with a more balanced five terms of roughly eight weeks, each followed by a two-week break. We believe this will give real “down time" for school staff and pupils alike but will be short enough not to cause a real break in learning.

We acknowledge that this change may be difficult for some school staff, particularly whose own children are educated in other authorities. However, this must be weighed against the benefits for city children for whom we all have the greatest duty of care.

1.The passage is probably written by      .

A. an experienced teacher        B. a city council member

C. an inspired student        D. a working parent

2.The underlined word "they" in the second paragraph refers to "       ’.

A. environments        B. wages   C. holidays         D. benefits

3.It is suggested in the passage that the summer break be reduced to       .

A. 2 weeks         B. 6 weeks         C. 5 weeks         D. 4.5 weeks

4.The plans for a shorter summer holiday will help students_____    .

A.      obtain the cheapest holidays without additional costs

B.      get a chance to spend six weeks a term with teachers in school

C.      have more school days to receive free school meals

D.      benefit more from the caring and inspiring learning environment

5.It can be inferred from the passage that          _______.

A.      some school staff will say “ No" to the plans for a shorter summer holiday

B.      the suggested plans for a five-term school year can hardly be carried out

C.      the long summer holiday gives teachers and students real "down time"

D.      working parents can enjoy a five-week break to care for their children

 

Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, “I’m homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?”

    In that split second, everything I’d learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don’t talk to strangers … Be a good citizen … People will take ­advantage of you … Treat others as you wish to be treated … The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return … I guess love won the debate. “Sure,” I said. “What would you like?”

    She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student.

    She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual – lo mein and General Tso’s chicken.

    As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time.

    “So, what’s your name?” she asked.

    “I’m Claire,” I said, startled at our exact same thought. “What’s yours?”

    “Joyce,” she said with a smile.

    We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. “Hopefully,” I replied. “I’m interested in nursing.”

    “I went to college for nursing,” she said.

    I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I’d feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this.

    Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, “If you don’t like it you can take it back.” I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. “You don’t like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do.” I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all?

    I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it.” How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly.

    She replied, “I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad’s favorite, so I get that now.” Noticing that she used the word “was,” I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad.

    She asked why I was at the mall.

    “I’m waiting for friends. We’re going to see ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” I replied, stumbling over the words a bit.

    “‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” she echoed in awe. “What’s that about?” I realized that she didn’t see commercials for movies.

    I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. “A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting.”

    She got up to get a to-go box. “Would you like one?” she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot.

    “Would you like these?” I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. “Oh, no, thank you,” she said. “This is enough.” I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much.

    “I need to meet my friends now,” I explained. “It was so nice to meet you, Joyce.”

    “You too, Claire,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you.”

    I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can’t help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn’t need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck?

    I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life.

1.From the second paragraph we know that the writer _________.

   A. debated with the girl over moral issues

B. hates having to make a quick decision

   C. hesitated before she decided to reach out

D. fell in love with the girl at the first sight

2.The writer felt guilty for a moment because ________.

   A. she was particular about food and also wasted so much

   B. she was a strict vegetarian who ate very little

   C. she didn’t order enough food for the girl

   D. she urged the girl to take her share of food

3.Why did Joyce end up unemployed and homeless?

   A. She was a victim of high education

B. She actually had some kind of mental disorder

   C. She graduated with average grades

D. The reason is not yet given.

4.Which detail doesn’t show the coincidence in the story?

   A. They both took interest in nursing.

   B. They were about to ask names of each other at the same time.

   C. When Claire headed to the theater, Joyce went back downstairs.

   D. They were both musical lovers.

5.The writer was very happy to have met Joyce because______.

   A. she didn’t know what she was going to be until then.

   B. this chance meeting changed her attitudes towards life in a way.

   C. she was glad to be able to pay for someone in need.

   D. hopefully the force that brought them together may bring good luck to Joyce.

6.The passage is intended to _______.

   A. arouse readers’ curiosity

B. explore social problems

   C. teach readers a lesson

D. share a sweet personal story

 

People often fall ill because of me.   36 , they can hardly blame me; it is largely their own   37 . A tired person may get   38 , especially when he goes to crowded places with polluted air. A sudden change in    39   is another factor. In hot summer, people turn on the air-conditioner upon returning home. They will catch a cold easily.

My latest victim is an energetic student. After school, he played football hard for two hours. Though 40 . He still went to the cinema. Then he got back home and took a cold shower immediately.

I seized this golden chance to    41   him. He reacted, trying to    42   me, but I was already   43   deep in his throat. He kept sneezing(打喷嚏) and his nose was running.   44   he put on some warm clothes, it didn't work, for there were too many of us. Besides, his sore throat kept   45  him, and he developed a cough to force me and my family out, but   46   .

The next day he couldn't go to    47   .He had lost his appetite and was not as    48   as before. His mother made him orange juice every few hours for more vitamin C, which would help his   49   .

For two days he was   50   by his mother. As he rested more, his defense strengthened and I began lo feel the   51   . I knew I had to    52   him before long. But I am not the one who gives up easily, and I made every effort to fight back.   53   , it was my turn to feel   54   now, for his defense system was starting an all-out attack against me. I became    55   and finally my time was over.

Do you know what I am?

1. A. Therefore     B. Besides          C. However      D. Then

2. A. business          B. responsibility       C. excuse        D. fault

3. A. punished          B. blamed           C. caught         D. killed

4. A. temperature       B. season           C. place              D. condition

5. A. excited           B. hurt             C. late           D. tired

6. A. injure            B. bother           C. attack         D. destroy

7. A. get on with       B. get rid of           C. put up with    D. take hold of

8. A. reproducing       B. waiting          C. hiding         D. disappearing

9. A. Since             B. Once             C. Whether        D. Although

10. A. reminding        B. upsetting            C. comforting     D. influencing

11. A. escaped          B. succeeded        C. regretted          D. failed

12. A. bed              B. work             C. school          D. hospital

13. A. peaceful         B. afraid               C. active          D. happy

14. A. recovery         B. development      C. study               D. growth

15. A. protected            B. nursed           C. scolded         D. affected

16. A. loss             B. operation            C. pressure        D. movement

17. A. leave            B. catch                C. forget          D. beat

18. A. Uncertainly      B. Unsuccessfully   C. Unusually       D. Unfortunately

19. A. painful          B. disappointed     C. nervous         D. ashamed

 A. bigger          B. weaker           C. smaller         D. stronger

 

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