As I went through school, I came to understand that life was about competition. The only thing that mattered was doing better than everyone else. I watched this cycle through the lives of my four older brothers. I watched them win awards time and time again and admired by teachers and adults alike. And I wanted all of that. But then I learned that I couldn’t compete with my brothers or with others for that matter. I didn’t enjoy math and science nearly as much as I enjoyed English literature. My stomach would often hurt thinking about the amount of time I’d have to put in studying and working to get ahead of everyone. Around the seventh grade, I decided that I didn’t care about being a top student anymore. I just wanted to do what brought me joy. I wanted to just read and write for days.

Then I watched my older brothers enter the workplace and not enjoy the career path they had chosen. That made my stomach hurt, too. At the same time, they were making a lot of money and were able to afford expensive cars and go on trips that seemed enjoyable, but I decided that I’d not trade the cars and trips for having a job that brought me joy.

So I did just that. I majored in English in college with a concentration on creative fictions. For the past decade, I’ve had a career in a non-profit organization serving children in need. It has brought me great joy. There’s not a daily drive to compete in the market place and be better than another organization so that we increase our profits. The drive is to serve another person with excellence. And the other unexpected aspects are that while I have never made a lot of money, I have a car and have been fortunate to take some pretty amazing trips for work.

1.What did the writer think of life at early school?

A. Competitive. B. Stressful.

C. Enjoyable. D. Difficult.

2.Why did the writer change his attitude towards competition?

A. He failed competition repeatedly.

B. He wanted to follow his heart.

C. He was afraid of competition.

D. He often had stomachaches.

3.What can we learn about the writer?

A. He makes great contributions to society.

B. He is less successful than his brothers.

C. He doesn’t travel anywhere.

D. He finds great pleasure in his work.

4.The writer may agree that .

A. we should not compete with others

B. we should try to do better than others

C. we should do what we really like

D. we should be devoted to helping others

Sometimes called Amazonia, the rainforest of the Amazon River basin is the largest in the world. It stretches (延伸) across more than half of Brazil and parts of seven other South American countries (and French Guiana). With a land area of 2.7 million square miles, the Amazon rainforest is almost two thirds the size of the US.

Rainforests are important to the health of the entire planet. Often called "the lungs of the planet", the Amazon rainforest, with its rich plant life, stores carbon dioxide while giving out the oxygen we need to survive.

At one time, rainforests covered 14 percent of Earth’s surface. Deforestation has reduced that figure to 6 percent today. Much of the loss has been in the Amazon.

Fortunately, over the years, Brazil has also become a world leader in rainforest preservation. A law called the Forest Code, originally passed in 1965, requires the Amazon’s farmers to protect 80 percent of their land from farming. And democratic governments beginning in the early 1990s began to enforce it seriously.

Efforts to save the Amazon increased under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2002—2011). Brazil set aside about 150 million acres of the rainforest, an area about the size of France, for protection. Deforestation fell by 74 percent between 2004 and 2009.

Other countries of the Amazon have also done their parts. This year, Peru created a forest reserve about the size of California’s Yosemite National Park.

1.What is the size of the Amazon rainforest?

A. About the size of France.

B. Nearly half the size of Brazil.

C. Over half the size of the US.

D. About the size of seven South American countries.

2.How much of the rainforest has been lost due to deforestation according to Paragraph 3?

A. 6%. B. Approximately 8%.

C. 14%. D. More than 50%.

3.Which country contributes most to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest?

A. Peru. B. Brazil.

C. The US. D. French Guiana.

4.What does the author feel about the situation of the Amazon?

A. Optimistic. B. Moved.

C. Worried. D. Uncertain.

So many of us hold on to little complaints that may have come from an argument, a misunderstanding, the way we were raised, or some other painful events. Stubbornly, we wait for someone else to reach out to us—believing this is the only way we can forgive or rekindle a friendship or family relationship.

A friend of mine, recently told me that she hadn't spoken to her son in almost three years. She said that she and her son had had a disagreement about his wife and that she wouldn't speak to him again unless he called first. When I suggested that she be the one to reach out, she said, “I can't do that. He's the one who should apologize.” After a little gentle encouragement, however, she did decide to be the first one to reach out. To her amazement, her son was grateful for her willingness to call and offered an apology of his own. As is usually the case when someone takes the chance and reaches out, everyone wins.

Whenever we hold on to our anger, we turn “small stuff(问题)” into really “big stuff” in our minds. We start to believe that our positions are more important than our happiness. They are not. If you want to be a more peaceful person you must understand that being right is almost never more important than allowing yourself to be happy. The way to be happy is to let go, and reach out. Let other people be right. This doesn't mean that you're wrong. Everything will be fine. You'll experience the peace of letting go, as well as the joy of letting others be right.

You'll also notice that, as you reach out and let others be “right,” they will become less defensive and more loving toward you. They might even reach back. But, if for some reason they don't, that's okay too. You'll have the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your part to create a more loving world, and certainly you'll be more peaceful yourself.

1.The underlined word “rekindle” in Paragraph 1 probably means “________”.

A. recover B. develop

C. accept D. replace

2.In the author's opinion, we hold on to our anger often because we think ________.

A. we can turn small issues into big ones

B. our positions are higher than others

C. our own opinions matter most

D. others will be less defensive

3.The best thing to do after a quarrel is to ______.

A. let go of our own rights

B. realize that you are wrong

C. expect others to give in

D. apologize to others first

The hottest “green” toy in Germany isn’t made of organic or recycled materials. This one has a solar panel (太阳能电池板) and only runs if kids remember to insert bright red “energy stones” that power the space station. Germany, a pioneer in many renewable energy movements, is also at the forefront of creating environment-friendly toys aimed at making kids think about where energy comes from and how much of it they can use, raising awareness through play. A number of high-tech green toys are on display at this year's Nuremberg toy fair, which runs through Sunday.

Among them, there are hydroelectric-powered toy cars, and doll houses with wind–powered engine and rainwater catchers. The bright green "Future Planet" space station features inner equipment with a fan that is powered by a functioning solar cell. Its aim is to get kids to use their imagination about how energy will be created in the future.

Makers and retailers believe such toys will play an increasingly important role in their future and that of our kids. "Energy is the question of the future and we are definitely thinking about this as we move ahead," said Judith Schweinitz, a spokeswoman for Playmobil, maker of the solar panel-fitted space station. "It is increasingly being brought into our play concept." she added. Studies indicate that green toys which range from those made of sustainable materials to ones like the space station that just raise environmental awareness are becoming more and more popular in the international toy market.

1.The purpose of making the green toys is to ________.

A. give kids the knowledge of technology

B. improve the safety of toys

C. raise kids’ awareness about energy and environment

D. improve kids’ imagination

2.According to the text, ________ uses solar energy.

A. the “Future Planet” space station B. the doll

C. the doll house D. the toy car

3.What can you infer from the last paragraph?

A. Energy is only a question of the future and we needn’t care now.

B. The trend in the international toy market is more and more green toys to raise environmental awareness will hit the market.

C. Energy has been brought into our play concept too much according to Judith Schweinitz.

D. The green toys made of sustainable materials haven’t become popular yet in the international toy market.

4.The hottest “green” toy in Germany is ________.

A. made of organic or recycled materials B. made of green stones

C. driven by an advanced motor D. equipped with a solar panel

Clean water is not only important for food production, but necessary for our life. However, large numbers of people in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are going without. The World Health Organization reports that almost 4,000 children die each day for dirty water or lack of water.

Agriculture is the primary user of water at 70–85% of fresh water in the world. Industrial uses of water don’t often come to mind, but you may be surprised to know that industry uses 59% of the water supply in developed countries.

Home use takes up only 8% in the world. But as cities grow, the local government has to cut down on water use. Many cities are turning to privatization (私有化) of water as a method of controlling use. The poor are paying as much as a quarter of their monthly income for water in some developing countries.

In 60% of large European cities, groundwater is being used at a faster rate. People are saving water by simply using less and being careful with what they do use. Sometimes it’s as simple as not throwing out water that they could use elsewhere.

In Australia overuse of water has always been a problem. The Australian government has encouraged households and industries to collect rainwater and reuse water from showers. Technology is helping householders for shower and bath water for reuse in toilets or gardens.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made a water saving program designed to encourage families and businesses to examine their water use and save more water. Good water management has been considered by scientists and the UN as the key to solving the water problem. We can all work together to protect our valuable water in our daily life.

1.In developed countries, most water is used by ______.

A. industry B. agriculture

C. families D. businesses

2.To save water, what do Australians and Europeans both choose to do?

A. Find more groundwater.

B. Make good use of rainwater.

C. Encourage people to have fewer showers

D. Recycle water for a second use.

3.According to scientists, to deal with water shortage, the most important is to ______.

A. popularize privatization of water

B. cut down on water use at home

C. have good control over water use

D. introduce water-saving technologies

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Water—the source of all lives

B. Save water, save the world

C. New ways to save water

D. Water and people’s health

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