Several years ago, I had to replace a receptionist for my unit. Before I advertised for the position, I was approached by another manager, and asked if l would consider a transfer from his staff instead of opening a new competition. My natural question was to ask who he wanted me to consider and why.

     It appeared from his description of this employee, Maria, that she was having a lot of problems performing her duties, and had difficulties with her boss, and did not appear to respond to any attempts he, the manager, had made to settle the issues. Now, after listening to his explanation, I really had severe doubts. What crossed my mind, after this discussion, was that he wanted me to take a problem off his hands.

     I told him I would think about it and would let him know the next day. As promised, after thinking more about this potential performance issue, I decided that I would agree to speak with Maria privately before I made any decision.

     And, what I found out during this interview, left me deep in thought. As it turned out, the    performance issue appeared to result from working for a boss who never extended a good morning greeting, never gave a word of encouragement, and was constantly changing the work load and routines. The end result was a totally ruined employee who was unconfident, hated to see a new work day start.

     I decided to accept her transfer to my unit. What started out as a shy, withdrawn and frightened employee turned out to be one of the most productive and loyal employee that I had ever worked with. Maria couldn't do enough and was constantly asking for more and for more responsibility. I was more than happy to give her what she needed-praise for work well done, respect as a person, and encouragement for doing well in anything she dealt with.

     Sometimes, we are guilty of holding others back from accomplishing or doing or developing as they should or could. It may be a wise idea that we all look in the mirror, from time to time, to see what we are really like.

1.What can we learn about the writer from the first paragraph?

A. He is a manager in the company.

B. He doesn't like his receptionist.

C. He likes to compete with others.

D. He wants to find another position.

2.After hearing his colleague's description of Maria, the writer thought that Maria_______.

A. attempted to settle the issues

B. was a problem to her boss

C. shouldn't stay in the company

D. could get on well with others

3.Why did Maria fail to perform well in her previous job?

A. Her previous job was not suitable for her.

B. She had difficulty responding to her manager.

C. Her boss didn't inspire her working enthusiasm.

D. Her boss showed no trust in her ability.

4.The writer accepted Maria's transfer to unit probably because he thought that________.

A. she was a ruined employee 

B. she would need his protection

C. she would turn out to be a good employee  

D. she was a shy and frightened employee

5.The writer probably believes that a good boss should________.

A. praise and award his employees a lot   

B. respect, praise and encourage his employees

C. greet his employees and give them much work    

D. always give his employees guidance in working

Dear Ralph,

I’m a girl in Grade Two in senior middle school. In junior middle school I did very well in my studies. But when I entered senior middle school I began to __41__ the bitterness (苦涩) of failure.

A girl who was not as good as me in __42__ middle school surpassed (超过) me. My mother often scolds me. I can’t __43__ her, so when I return home I don’t want to talk to her. When I do a good job, she __44__ says, “Don’t be so __45__. Think of XXX, she did better than you.” Am I proud? __46__. I just want to give __47__ confidence. When I do something bad, she says, “What are you doing? Think of XXX, she is always better than you.” I had a(an) __48__talk with her. But she just said __49__, “When you grow up, you will know that I have done good for you.”

I can’t __50__ with her. I don’t want to go with her. What should I do?

Cinderella

Cinderella,

First analyze (分析) by yourself __51__ you have fallen behind. Is there something wrong with you, __52__ is the girl who surpassed you an outstanding person who is always at the __53__. And does it matter? Can you be number two and __54__ do well in exams and get into a good university?

To communicate, ask your __55__ about her own life. Did someone surpass her? If she regrets any experiences, she may hope you will realize her own __56__. This wish is common among __57__.

__58___, don’t blame that she should seek success. If she scolds but cannot help, she clearly knows study is important but does not know how to study__59__.

Do __60__ you think is best.

Dear Ralph,

I’m a girl in Grade Two in senior middle school. In junior middle school I did very well in my studies. But when I entered senior middle school I began to __41__ the bitterness (苦涩) of failure.

A girl who was not as good as me in __42__ middle school surpassed (超过) me. My mother often scolds me. I can’t __43__ her, so when I return home I don’t want to talk to her. When I do a good job, she __44__ says, “Don’t be so __45__. Think of XXX, she did better than you.” Am I proud? __46__. I just want to give __47__ confidence. When I do something bad, she says, “What are you doing? Think of XXX, she is always better than you.” I had a(an) __48__talk with her. But she just said __49__, “When you grow up, you will know that I have done good for you.”

I can’t __50__ with her. I don’t want to go with her. What should I do?

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Cinderella

Cinderella,

First analyze (分析) by yourself __51__ you have fallen behind. Is there something wrong with you, __52__ is the girl who surpassed you an outstanding person who is always at the __53__. And does it matter? Can you be number two and __54__ do well in exams and get into a good university?

To communicate, ask your __55__ about her own life. Did someone surpass her? If she regrets any experiences, she may hope you will realize her own __56__. This wish is common among __57__.

__58___, don’t blame that she should seek success. If she scolds but cannot help, she clearly knows study is important but does not know how to study__59__.

Do __60__ you think is best.

41. A. meet　　　　　　　　　 B. taste　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. understand　　　　　　　 D. see

42. A. junior　　　　　　　　 B. high　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. senior　　　　　　　　　　 D. super

43. A. trust　　　　　　　　　 B. realize　　　　　　　　　　 C. stand　　　　　　　　　　　 D. believe

44. A. always　　　　　　　 B. seldom　　　　　　　　　　 C. hardly　　　　　　　　　　 D. sometimes

45. A. satisfied　　　　　　　　　　 B. happy　　　　　　　　　　　 C. proud　　　　　　　　　　　 D. excited

46. A. Never　　　　　　　　 B. Yes　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Hardly　　　　　　　　　　 D. Almost

47. A. myself　　　　　　　 B. me　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. herself　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. her

48. A. warm-hearted　　 B. open-hearted C. kind-hearted D. broken-hearted

49. A. warmly　　　　　　　 B. nervously　　　　　　　　 C. firmly　　　　　　　　　　 D. coldly

50. A. talk　　　　　　　　　　 B. communicate　　　　　 C. stay　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. sit

51. A. why　　　　　　　　　 B. when　　　　　　　　　　　 C. whether　　　　　　　　　 D. where

52. A. but　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. or　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. and　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. yet

53. A. head　　　　　　　　　 B. top　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. ceiling　　　　　　　　　　 D. front

54. A. ever　　　　　　　　　 B. still　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. either　　　　　　　　　　　 D. even

55. A. classmate　　　　　 B. fellow　　　　　　　　　　 C. teacher　　　　　　　　　　 D. mother

56. A. experience　　　　　 B. failure　　　　　　　　　　 C. dream　　　　　　　　　　 D. regret

57. A. students　　　　　　　　　　 B. people　　　　　　　　　　 C. teachers　　　　　　　　　 D. parents

58. A. However　　　　　　 B. But　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Though　　　　　　　　　 D. And

59. A. fast　　　　　　　　　 B. busily　　　　　　　　　　　 C. effectively　　　　　　　 D. hard

60. A. all which　　　　　　 B. that　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. all what　　　　　　　　　 D. what