题目内容
It’s only after three weeks into a new job that I made a serious mistake. My boss called it “extremely embarrassing” in a company-wide e-mail — which, 31 , he wrote because he felt he needed to explain that what I did was something 32 in the company should ever do.
I wish I 33 give a good excuse for what I did. At the very least, I wish I could explain it somehow — 34 it on youth, inexperience or ignorance. Unfortunately, I’m 35 , experienced and I know better.
36 I work with some very kind and compassionate(富于同情心的) people. For the past couple of days many of them have taken time to 37 by my desk and offer comfort, encouragement and support. Some have shared with me similar 38 they have made. Evidently I’m not the only “ 39 ” person here.
One of the exchanges I had this week was with Lois, the much-honored, much-respected professional who 40 the desk right next to mine. Lois was completely 41 about her work, and to be honest I was a little nervous about how she would 42 to such an extremely embarrassing incident.
As I expected , Lois didn’t pass over the 43 when she saw me the next day. She mentioned it directly, 44 with empathetic consideration. She listened to my 45 . Just as I was ready to express my regrets, she brought my self-pity partly to a(n) 46 .
“It happened”, she said, “There’s nothing you can do to 47 that. It happened. But it’s over now. It’s 48 . It’s in the past. You need to let it go, and move on.” And with that she returned her 49 to her work, as if to say, “We’re done here.”
I beat myself up for weeks. At such times I need to remember those 50 words: It’s over. It’s done. Let it go. And mostly, move on.
31. A. by the way B. in the way C. on the way D. to the way
32. A. someone B. anyone C. no one D. the one
33. A. should B. might C. will D. could
34. A. fix B. blame C. rely D. put
35. A. outgoing B. old C. cheerful D. energetic
36. A. Thankfully B. Naturally C. Generally D. Hopefully
37. A. work B. stop C. watch D. sit
38. A. decisions B. troubles C. attempts D. mistakes
39. A. annoying B. confusing C. embarrassing D. puzzling
40. A. repairs B. wants C. works D. occupies
41. A. mad B. serious C. curious D. hopeful
42. A. react B. agree C. turn D. object
43. A. issue B. outcome C. criterion D. message
44. A. for B. therefore C. but D. otherwise
45. A. challenge B. imagination C. conclusion D. explanation
46. A. order B. key C. end D. process
47. A. forget B. ruin C. prevent D. change
48. A. broken B. done C. lost D. kept
49. A. attention B. skill C. patience D. interest
50. A. sweet B. pleasant C. meaningful D. colorful
31−35 ACDBB 36─ 40ABDCD
41─45 BAACD 46─50 CDBAC
It was midnight in Paris and we were rolling toward Avenue Bosguet. As we came to the Pont Alexandra Ⅲ, the taxi slowed down, for the traffic light was red against us, and then, without stopping, we sailed through the red in a sudden burst of speed. The same performance was repeated at the Alma Bridge. As I paid the driver, I asked him why he had driven through two red lights.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, breaking the law and endangering your life that way.” I protested.
He looked at me, astonished, “Ashamed of myself? I am a law abiding(守法的) citizen and have no desire to get killed either.” He cut me off before I could protest.
“No, just listen to me before you complain. What did I do? Went through a red light. Well, did you ever stop to consider what a red light is? What it means?”
“Certainly,”I replied. “It’s a stop signal and means the traffic is rolling in the opposite direction.”
“Half-right,”said the driver, “But incomplete. It’s only an automatic(自动的) stop signal. And it does not mean that there is cross traffic. Did you see any cross traffic during our trip? Of course not. I slowed down at the light, looked carefully to the right and to the left. Not another car on the street at this hour. Well, then! What would you have me do? Should I stop like a stupid animal because an automatic, brainless machine turns red every forty seconds? No, sir,”he shouted, “I am a man, not a machine. I have eyes and a brain and judgment, given me by God. Ashamed of myself, you say? I would only be ashamed of myself if I let those blinking lamps do my thinking for me. Good night,sir.”
【小题1】At the Alma Bridge,__________.
| A．the writer stopped the taxi and aid the driver |
| B．the taxi went through a red light again |
| C．there was a performance the writer had already watched |
| D．the writer began to criticize the driver |
| A．was not a stop signal |
| B．should not work at midnight |
| C．sometimes made mistakes in judgment |
| D．didn’t always mean that there was cross traffic |
_________.A．he found there was no cross traffic there at that time |
| B．he thought it a shame to be controlled by a machine |
| C．he knew no other driver would see him at this hour |
| D．he didn’t trust any brainless machine |
| A．law abiding | B．law breaking |
| C．something to be proud of | D．something to be ashamed of |
The British aren’t having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it’s incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK.
The above explains why young British people now don’t move out of their parents’ home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It’s only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child.
So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn’t he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive.
The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high?
So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government subsidies for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care.
The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn’t have to work so many hours, they’d have more time to spend with their children and wouldn’t need to spend so much on childcare. On average, a Briton works 49 hours a week, which is the most in Europe. The state is now considering introducing laws to encourage companies to improve their employees’ work-life balance. Let’s hope they’re not too late to save the British family. Otherwise, the British will always be too tired, and won’t have enough time and money, to have children.
【小题1】Young British people live in their parents’ home until around 30 because .
| A．They are allowed to get married at 30 |
| B．they can’t find jobs to support themselves |
| C．they can’t afford a house of their own until then |
| D．they enjoy family life with their parents |
| A．they have fewer years to have children |
| B．they live much shorter lives than before |
| C．it is more expensive to bring up a child |
| D．people are losing their jobs because of the recent financial crisis |
| A．bringing down prices |
| B．raising the salaries of parents |
| C．reducing family income tax |
| D．increasing subsidies for families and nursery schools |
| A．with long work hours, it is hard for British parents to balance life and work |
| B．more and more families in Britain are breaking up because they are having fewer children |
| C．among Europeans, British people work hardest and earn the least |
| D．childcare takes up too much energy and time for the British |
| A．food paid by the government |
| B．school buildings for poor students |
| C．free transportation |
| D．money from the government to benefit the public |
How to Release Creativity
According to most dictionaries. creativity is the ability to create. However, creativity is more than what is defined by the dictionary. It is an idea, a process, a thought。or a state of mind. One cannot learn to be creative because creativity is natural and unique to each individual. People should know that creativity doesn’t equal success. It equals the act of expressing. So. if at first the goal that is aimed for is not achieved, there is no need for worry or frustration.
Creativity can, however, be released by discovery. Some people need encouragement to help
release their creativity. There are quite a few ways to release it.
One way to release creativity would be to look for what can inspire you. Looking at the world and admiring the differences in people and places help. Creativity can be drawn from their beauty. A person can touch, taste, smell, hear, and see hundreds of different objects. Aromas from foods, textures of blankets, and sight of unusual objects can all give inspiration.
Many people are too concerned with how things should look. The focus should be on how it actually looks in the raw, to the human eye. Colors and shapes can be distorted(扭曲)by the mere fact that people want others to see it for what it is. It’s more difficult for someone to let go of all that and just let their creativity flow, unblocked.
Another way to get the creativity flowing is to research what other artists have done or are currently doing. Their cultures and biographies alone can be an inspiration. Examining their works can help some appreciate artistic expression. New techniques can even be drawn from their works.
Some people are even inspired by everyday events, like reading the newspaper or watching the news. Some can take other people’s situations and describe how it makes them feel. That is a way to release creativity. Controversial issues, such as War or abortion, can inspire writings like poems. They can be used to express death, loss, or tragedy. General topics such as religion or politics can branch off into many directions, sending creativity into overdrive.
Creativity is not about reaching a goal or being a perfectionist. It’s about being, feeling, and taking all that is inside and letting it out in one way or another. Creativity is not always expressed by paintings, drawings, or writings. One’s action is the main form to express creativity. Romance, for example, is a form of creativity. Love and emotion are inspired by one person for another. Taking something inside and then putting it back out into the world as another thing is the key of creativity. Knowing and loving someone so much that there is a need to express it is a very natural form of creativity.
Another form of expressing creativity is talking. Some people are more blessed in this area than in more obvious ones。such as painting or drawing. They Paint a “word picture”. Speeches can be centered around new ideas and thoughts. It can contain an of one’s being and transform it into either simple or complicated words.
Inspiration is vital to creativity. Even if it’s only a slight feeling or thought that inspires. Creativity can be released each time attempts are made to use the body as all outlet. Remember that creativity is not an art form, but that it forms art.
How to Release Creativity
| Outlines | Details |
| The writer’s understanding of creativity | ●Creativity is more than just a 【小题1】 given in the dictionary. ●It is an idea, a process, a thought, or a state of mind. ●It is natural and unique to each individual. ●It equals【小题2】 rather than success. |
| Ways to【小题3】__ creativity | ●We Can look for what Can inspire US through five 【小题4】__. ●We shouldn’t be too concerned with the 【小题5】__ of things. ●We can get creativity flowing by 【小题6】_ what other artists have done or are doing and examining their works. ●We can draw inspiration from both everyday events and 【小题7】__ issues. |
| Forms of expressing creativity | Creativity Can be expressed by ●paintings, drawings or 【小题8】_; ●actions used 【小题9】__ to show their knowing and loving someone; ●speeches containing new ideas and thoughts. |
| Conclusion | ●Inspiration is of great【小题10】__ to creativity. ●Art is an expressive form of creativity. |