A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves – the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solves problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, “Good job!”
Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem(自尊) and motive others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
【小题1】The author argues in the first paragraph that ________.

As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them. Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.
One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. “I always wanted to have a farm then,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It’s taken some time getting used to, but it’s been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are much happier.
Liz, however, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, however, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much, or you might not do it at all.”
【小题1】The passage tells us that       .

As Paige watched the other kids playing football in her local park she longed to join in. But at nearly nine stone （1stone equals 6.35 kilograms）, the 11-year-old was too big to enjoy her favorite sport, she was well on her way to being another overweight member of her family. Mandy, her mum was 17th 10 lb and Anne, her grandma 15th 10 lb.  

Mandy, 39, and Anne, 67, both have a sweet tooth and share a love of all things stodgy. Recent figures show that two-thirds of kids will be dangerously fat by 2050, and overweight kids often become obese adults and live shorter lives as they are at higher risk of everything from heart disease to cancer and type-2 diabetes. Mandy says she knew things had to change for her and her family. Mandy’s mum Anne had an even greater motivation for wanting to slim down. Last autumn Paige went along to the Slimming World to keep her mum and grand ma company. In the first week on the Slimming World eating plan, Mandy lost a whopping 9.5lb. Mandy asked Paige to join in. They believed the Free2Go plan is balanced and nutritious and doesn’t deprive Paige of anything.  

Supporting and encouraging each other the whole time, Anne, Mandy and Paige all whittled away their waistlines. Mandy says: “My back problems have cleared up.” Anne has also noticed a real difference in her health. She says: “I feel like I’ve got my old energy back.” Paige is almost as delighted with her new wardrobe as she is about her foot balling skills. Mandy adds: “I’m just so proud of Paige. I felt awful because I knew her weight problems were a result of my bad eating habits. But when I see her now it’s like she’s a different person.”  

56. This passage mainly tells about       .  

A. how to lose more weight  

B. the harm of being too fat  

C. the reason of being too fat  

D. slimming down of the family  

57. The passage tells us that the family became so obese mainly because       .  

A. they didn’t like sports  

B. they had bad eating habits  

C. they didn’t want to lose weight  

D. they suffered from being fat  

58. How much did Paige weigh when she was only eleven years old?  

A. About 57 kilograms.                              B. About 67 kilograms.  

C. About 77 kilograms.                              D. About 87 kilograms.  

59. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?  

A. Overweight people usually live longer.  

B. Free2Go plan can’t make people healthy.  

C. Paige liked the game of football very much.  

D. Sweet food can make people suffer heart disease.  

60. What can we learn from the passage about Mandy?  

A. She once suffered a headache.  

B. She once suffered a backache.  

C. She once suffered heart-attack  

D. She didn’t like the Free2Go plan.  

As Paige watched the other kids playing football in her local park she longed to join in. But at nearly nine stone （1stone equals 6.35 kilograms）, the 11-year-old was too big to enjoy her favorite sport, she was well on her way to being another overweight member of her family. Mandy, her mum was 17th 10 lb and Anne, her grandma 15th 10 lb.

Mandy, 39, and Anne, 67, both have a sweet tooth and share a love of all things stodgy. Recent figures show that two-thirds of kids will be dangerously fat by 2050, and overweight kids often become obese adults and live shorter lives as they are at higher risk of everything from heart disease to cancer and type-2 diabetes. Mandy says she knew things had to change for her and her family. Mandy’s mum Anne had an even greater motivation for wanting to slim down. Last autumn Paige went along to the Slimming World to keep her mum and grand ma company. In the first week on the Slimming World eating plan, Mandy lost a whopping 9.5lb. Mandy asked Paige to join in. They believed the Free2Go plan is balanced and nutritious and doesn’t deprive Paige of anything.

Supporting and encouraging each other the whole time, Anne, Mandy and Paige all whittled away their waistlines. Mandy says: “My back problems have cleared up.” Anne has also noticed a real difference in her health. She says: “I feel like I’ve got my old energy back.” Paige is almost as delighted with her new wardrobe as she is about her foot balling skills. Mandy adds: “I’m just so proud of Paige. I felt awful because I knew her weight problems were a result of my bad eating habits. But when I see her now it’s like she’s a different person.”

1. This passage mainly tells about 　　　.

A. how to lose more weight

B. the harm of being too fat

C. the reason of being too fat

D. slimming down of the family

2. The passage tells us that the family became so obese mainly because 　　　.

A. they didn’t like sports

B. they had bad eating habits

C. they didn’t want to lose weight

D. they suffered from being fat

3. How much did Paige weigh when she was only eleven years old?

A. About 57 kilograms. 　　　　　 B. About 67 kilograms.

C. About 77 kilograms. 　　　　　 D. About 87 kilograms.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Overweight people usually live longer.

B. Free2Go plan can’t make people healthy.

C. Paige liked the game of football very much.

D. Sweet food can make people suffer heart disease.

5. What can we learn from the passage about Mandy?

A. She once suffered a headache.

B. She once suffered a backache.

C. She once suffered heart-attack

D. She didn’t like the Free2Go plan.

In modern society, receiving systematic college education seems a necessary way for success as a graduate from first-class university may always get more opportunities than others. However, if it is gold, it will shine one day. In this article, we will get to know three most successful people in U.S. who never finished their college education. Following experiences of these successful dropouts may give you some inspiration.

1. Bill Gates

Harvard’s campus paper “Harvard Crimson” called Bill Gates “Harvard’s most successful dropout,” while the rest of the world preferred to name him “the world’s richest man” for more than a decade. Now, even not on the top, he is still among the list of the world’s wealthiest people. Gates entered Harvard in the fall of 1973. Two years later, he dropped out to found Microsoft with friend Paul Allen. And in 2007, he finally received an honorary doctorate from Harvard.

2. Steve Jobs

The iPad, even Buzz Lightyear probably wouldn’t have existed if Steve Jobs stayed in school. Because his family couldn’t afford his college education, Jobs had to drop out of Reed College just after entering for 6 months. Then he found Apple, NeXT Computer and Pixar, which had made great influences on development of modern technique and culture. However, this wizard thought that his brief college education was not worthless.

3. Frank Lloyd Wright

As the America’s most celebrated architect, Wright spent more time on designing colleges rather than attending classes in them. Once spent one year in the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then he left for Chicago and started to learn from Louis Sullivan, the “father of modernism." Wright’ s splendid resume included more than 500 works, most famous of which are Fallingwater and New York City's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
41. What does“dropouts”in Paragraph One mean?
　 A. Hardworking students.　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Very successful students.
　 C. Students failing to finish their school education.　 D. Students from poor families.
42. Which of the following is right according to Paragraph One?
　 A. People graduating from famous universities are more likely to get jobs.
　 B. Many successful people had the experience of giving up their school education.
　 C. If one has a lot of gold, he will become very rich one day.
　 D. We should stop our college education to follow in those successful people’s steps.
43. According to the writer, Bill Gates _________.
　 A. is richer than any other man in the world

B. is well-known in Harvard University

C. finally finished his study at Harvard and got a doctorate degree
D. is the only founder of Microsoft

44. Which of the following statements can’t be learned from the last two paragraphs?

A. The reason for Jobs’ dropping his college education is that his parents couldn’t pay for it.

B. Jobs thought his six-month college education gave him no help.

C. Wright’s teacher was a very famous artist.

D. Wright is the designer of New York City’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

45. What does the author want to tell us in this passage?

A. Successful people often have unordinary life experience.

B. College education is not so important to one’s success.

C. People from poor families are more likely to give up their college education.

D. Even without college education, one can still achieve success with one’s hard work.