Both of Jessica’s parents were lawyers and expected her to follow suit. So she went to law school, got a job at a great firm in Washington, DC, and worked as a lawyer for a decade. But her heart was never in it. “I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction,” she says.

Jessica found pleasure in the same thing that had brought her joy since joining the church choir at the age of 12. “Singing always felt like communicating something real at a spiritual and emotional level,” says Jessica. Yet she never considered it a career option. “That seemed like something people did in fairy tales, and I would never let my parents down,” she says.

It was her mom’s diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after. “Work was busy and my mother was ailing. So I was flying back and forth from Washington, DC to Houston to see her,” Jessica says. “I finally said, ‘Enough!’ and quit.” While caring for her mom, Jessica made a plan. She would spend her savings and study music for a year, and then open a part-time law practice so she could pursue her passion. Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. Her song Live This Life was inspired by her mom, and her dad came to watch her perform at clubs.

In 2012, Jessica moved to Nashville to try singing and songwriting. A decade of presenting cases in court gave her the confidence to sing for a crowd. “At 20, I would have been too shy to perform,” says Jessica.

“Doing music is so free,” Jessica says. “There’s no pressure to be a star. Success, to me, isn’t a dollar amount or a record deal; it’s doing what I love.”

1.Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Jessica wasn’t satisfied with the pay she got as a lawyer.

B. Jessica didn’t know what she truly loved for ten years.

C. Jessica didn’t really like working as a lawyer.

D. Jessica was grateful for her parents’ arrangement for her.

2.What does the underlined word “ailing” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A. Crazy.B. Sick.

C. Worried.D. Unhappy.

3.What was Jessica’s mother’s attitude toward her singing?

A. Supportive.B. Doubtful.

C. Negative.D. Unknown.

4.By telling Jessica’s story, the writer most probably wants to _______.

A. show that family members’ support is important

B. show that singing can be a practical career

C. tell us the importance of choosing a right job

D. encourage us to pursue our dreams

Applying to Stellinga College

Why Stellinga?

Thank you for your interest in Stellinga International College. As an international student, we are sure you will find our college an exciting place to study, with like-minded and ambitious people.

Preparing and submitting your application

We have tried to make the application process as easy as possible for you, but there are a number of procedures you must follow.

All our courses are taught in English, so first of all you will probably need to submit evidence of your English language ability. We require an IELTS score of 6.5. You will also have to send us your secondary school diploma, so that we can evaluated it.

We will also require a personal statement. This is a text of up to 1,000 words in which you introduce yourself, explain your interest in our college, and why you want to study your chosen course.

If you are from outside the European Union(EU), it is important that you have an entrance visa before you come to study in the Netherlands, but we will apply for this for you.

We now only accept online applications, so please ensure that you have all your documents ready to upload before you begin. Any documents that are not in English originally will also need to be translated and the translation also uploaded.

You will need a passport photograph; a copy of your passport; copies of all your certificates and diplomas; your proof of language ability; and your personal statement in English.

What happens next?

Your application will then be considered. If your initial application is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This will be conducted in English via skype, over the phone or on site. You will talk to two or three members of staff for up to 30 minutes. We aim to inform you of our decision in writing, within 4 weeks. There are several possible outcomes: you may not have been successful; you may be offered a place on the waiting list. You will need to reply to any offers within two weeks, otherwise your place may be offered to somebody else.

Good luck with your application.

1.Which is unnecessary for people inside the EU when submitting applications?

A.A personal statement.

B. An entrance visa.

C. Evidence of English ability.

D. A secondary school diploma

2. If your first application is accepted, what is the next process?

A. You will have an interview in English.

B. You will get the reply over the phone.

C. You should make a decision within 4 weeks.

D. You should reply to the offer the moment you get it.

3.Where can we find the passage?

A. In an educational magazine.

B. On a notice board.

C. In an English teaching book.

D. On a university’s website.

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