How to improve our life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They’ll say, "This is my destiny(命运).I cannot change it."
Of course not! You don’t have to suffer needlessly. Your life depends on you, not on any other external(外部的)factor.
I know a woman who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, and then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows.
Huh! Is this what she calls "doing her best"? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that has been intended for her and that her luck can only change if God wills it. She hasn’t realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams.
Remember that you harvest what you sow. You have to get off the sofa, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone(unless it contributes to your success),and get your mind and body to work! Don’t expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don’t just regard it as a temporary setback; instead, learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It’s not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively.
If someone’s life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don’t just stand(or sit)there, do something to improve your life.
【小题1】According to the woman mentioned in Para. 3, her life_________________.

—This is my treat and next is yours. How’s that?

—OK. ____________.

A. It doesn’t matter   B. It depends       C. No way   D. It’s a deal

Interviewing someone for a job is not as easy as it looks. First, as the interviewer, you’re tasked with finding the person who will not only do the job well but also fit in well with the other employees.

You have to make an evaluation of abstract qualities that can’t be found on a résumé. Because you have to repeat the process for every potential employee, you end up asking question after question, applicant after applicant.

Still, interviewers need to be told something: “What is your biggest weakness?” is not a good question. It just isn’t.

Now, job seekers have to understand that interviewers want to find some way to know what makes an applicant different from others. Asking questions that are seemingly impossible to answer is one way to see who can think creatively. Then what may be a proper way to respond to such a question?

Honesty, with a twist(新手法)

“‘What are your three strengths and three weaknesses?’ is a classic, but not too many people know how to answer this,” says Kenneth C. Wisnefski, founder and CEO of WebiMax, an online marketing company.

“As an interviewer, we want to hear strengths that describe initiative(主动性), motivation and dedication. The best way to respond is to include these qualities into specific ‘personal statements.’

“Similarly, weaknesses should be positioned as a strength that can benefit the employer.”

“I like to hear applicants state an exaggerated strength, and put an interesting twist on it. An example of this is, ‘My initiative is so strong, that sometimes I take on too many projects at a time.’”

This answer leads with a strength that employers want —initiative —and still acknowledges that you’re not perfect.

Although you might consider this acknowledgement too honest, it works because it proves you’re being honest.

Honesty, with progress

When you consider what your weaknesses are, think about how you have attempted to overcome them. No one is perfect, so pretending that you are a perfectionist will come across as insincere.

Debra Davenport, author of “Career Shuffle,” believes citing(引用) examples are the best approach.

“My preferred response for this question is to tell the truth without damaging the applicant’s image.” Davenport explains.

“A better response might be, ‘I’ve had some challenges with work-life balance in the past and I realize that a life out of balance isn’t good for me, my family or my employer. I’ve taken the time to learn better time and project management, and I’m also committed to my overall wellness.’”

The answer adds some dimension to the question, and proves you’ve thought beyond the answer. You’ve actually changed your behavior to address the situation, even if you haven’t completely overcome the weakness.

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes

However you decide to answer, Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide,” recommends job seekers imagine themselves sitting on the other side of the desk.

“If you were doing the hiring, what would you be looking for? What would be your motivation for asking certain questions? Who would you be trying to weed out? If you can empathize (共鸣) with the interviewer, you can better understand what they want and need, and then frame your qualifications to meet their needs for the position you seek.”

Once you consider what the goal of the question is and figure out what your honest answer is, you’ll be able to give the best possible answer to a tricky question.

Christmas is over. And I got my wanted radio-controlled truck. But you would not believe the___36___ and work that went into getting this holy toy.

For over a month I stared at ___37___ magazines I received from my friend until I had made up my ___38___: I wanted a Pumpkin truck. I ___39___ to work immediately, dropping hints to my father about it.

My first job was to tell him about how the steering(操纵杆) on my old car didn’t ___40___, but he just blamed the problems on my bad ___41___.

My next plan would have to be more ___42___. “Look at this, Dad, the truck with controller and battery pack—all for only US$250!” You can’t ___43___ to miss out on this bargain!”

His ___44___ was that he certainly could afford to miss this ___45___ and for US$250 you could buy ___46___ educational like a telescope. “A telescope? To look at the moon? I’ll look at it when I’m 97 years old and living in a ___47___ home! This is my youth! I am supposed to run about.”

I went to my room, ___48___ at how mean(吝啬的) my father was. It was obvious that he didn’t ___49___ that I would die if I did not get the Pumpkin radio-controlled truck.

When I ___50___ on Christmas morning I wasn’t excited. I had been ___51___. I opened all my presents until there was just one big package ___52___. “The telescope,” I thought. I ___53___ the packaging and looked at the top of the box—it was a Pumpkin truck. I had ___54___! I loved my parents! I felt like I could do anything! I could ___55___ get an A+ in English class.

1.A. pain             B. attempt        C. joy            D. shyness

2.A. housing          B. fishing        C. car            D. fashion

3.A. mind             B. idea           C. opinion        D. head

4.A. get              B. set            C. searched       D. went

5.A. operate          B. run            C. start          D. work

6.A. riding           B. driving        C. thinking       D. keeping

7.A. strong           B. practical      C. ideal          D. obvious

8.A. afford           B. pay            C. allow          D. stand

9.A. talk             B. expression     C. face           D. response

10.A. truck           B. telescope      C. chance         D. bargain

11.A. one             B. something      C. everything     D. nothing

12.A. heating         B. loving         C. nursing        D. finding

13.A. pleased         B. good           C. expert         D. angry

14.A. say             B. believe        C. care           D. learn

15.A. went off        B. woke up        C. rang up        D. found out

16.A. worried         B. instructed     C. warned         D. defeated

17.A. opened          B. wrapped        C. left           D. faded

18.A. recovered B. refused              C. reopened       D. removed

19.A. won             B. done           C. beaten         D. failed

20.A. ever            B. already        C. still          D. even

On a cold November afternoon，my mother and 1 were walking home from a   21   ．We were dressed   22   ．1 was feeling a little   23  as 1 was carrying our shopping，and decided to throw away something．So I started to walk towards a   24  when I noticed a poor man walking out of the restaurant in front of us．He   25   over to another nearby dustbin and started looking through it．

I suddenly felt very guilty because 1 was about to throw away a new drink just because it was

  26  ．1 walked up to him and handed the   27   and some snacks over to him．The man looked up   28   and took what I gave him．

A huge smile   29   across his face and this   30    me to feel indescribable satisfaction．I felt I couldn’t be happier   31   myself．But then he said：“Wow，this is my son’s lucky day!”

With that，he thanked me happily and started off on his bike，I    32   heard him whistling a song as he rode away．

I got a warm  33 inside．I now understand  34  is meant by the saying “giving is getting”．

Although it only   35   a little action and a few words，I gained and learned more in those two minutes than I did in the rest of the month．Everyone in the world needs   36   ，everyone can   37   help and everyone will be helped by   38   kindness．

The image of that man’s happiness caused by my small gift appears in my mind every   39  I have the chance to do something nice．

This is the   40    of charity．

A．store           B．school                   C．hospital                  D．factory

A．poorly          B．coldly                   C．warmly                   D．expensively

A．glad              B．interested              C．bored                          D．tired

A．street            B．dustbin                 C．toilet                    D．corner

A．walked          B．looked                  C．thought                   D．took

A．cheap            B．heavy                   C．tasteless                  D．full

A．money          B．toys                      C．drink                      D．clothes

A．in silence      B．in surprise             C．in interest             D．in a hurry

A．spread           B．came                    C．went                       D．ran

A．forced         B．helped                  C．made                    D．caused

A．with            B．to                         C．at                           D．for

A．still             B．never                    C．even                     D．ever

A．opinion       B．mind                 C．idea                        D．feeling

A．which         B．what                     C．that                        D．it

A．cost            B．took                            C．spent                    D．asked

A．1ove           B．money                  C．help                       D．drink

A．give            B．send                     C．offer                      D．have

A．showing      B．expressing             C．1ending                  D．saying

A．moment      B．day                       C．minute                    D．time

A．aim             B．meaning                C．strength                  D．power