Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. But some women show great interest in colorful beads（珠子）from Uganda made of recycled paper. The beads are sold by a nonprofit organization called BeadforLife.

BeadforLife began as a chance meeting between three American women on a trip to Uganda and a local jewelry maker. Millie Grace Akena was rolling paper beads near her home. She made paper beads as a hobby. But there was no real market in her country.

Torkin Wakefield says she and her daughters Devin and Ginny brought some of the beads back home. Immediately people started admiring the beads. The three Americans started BeadforLife in 2004. Nearly 700 women have taken part.

The group says its beaders earn an average of more than 2,000 dollars a year in the program. This is five times what they earned before. The beads are sold across Uganda and in Boulder, Colorado. They are also sold online and at jewelry shows called bead parties. “Because they have meaning, because these are gifts that help people, when folks in America and beyond buy our beads, they feel a sense of generosity. They feel a direct connection, like they can really take part in getting rid of poverty.” Torkin said.

The jewelry costs between five and thirty dollars. BeadforLife reported sales in its last budget year of more that 3.5 million dollars. It says for every ten-dollar necklace sold, the beader gets two dollars and forty-three cents in money or materials. It says more than 90% of earnings are reinvested in community development projects in Uganda. Torkin Wakefield estimates that BeadforLife has helped more than 8,000 people this way.

So what about Millie Grace Akena, the jewelry maker? Mrs Wakefield says she has gone on to organize a small group of women who work with her, and they sell their beads to a religious group.

1.According to the passage, BeadforLife is an organization that ______.

A. provides poor people worldwide with free education

B. mainly encourages people to learn to earn a living on their own

C. has attracted many businessmen to invest in beading

D. supports community development projects in Uganda

2.When Torkin Wakefield brought the beads to America, ______.

A. she didn’t know people would like them

B. she wanted to make a fortune out of them

C. people showed great interest in them at once

D. she was thinking of how to find investors

3.According to Paragraph 4, the beads are popular because ______.

A. people think buying them is a good way to help the poor

B. they are of good quality and can be kept for a long time

C. they symbolize the most important thing in people’s life

D. they look even more beautiful than diamonds

4.Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?

A. Mrs Wakefield makes a great contribution to developing countries.

B. BeadforLife makes beads out of recycled paper.

C. BeadforLife uses paper beads to improve people’s lives.

D. Mrs Wakefield’s career takes off thanks to paper beads.

Many years ago my student asked me the question, “Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?” Without taking time to reflect, I answered, “Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone’s life.” Even though I was sincere, that wasn’t a very good answer and my student didn’t let it slide.

“Let me get this straight,” he said, “You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?” He shook his head as if I were crazy and walked away looking confused. I’m one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.

Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach:

It’s in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled(逐渐灌输) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.

Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can’t have ripples without a “stone.” Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that’s what I strive to do.

I genuinely love teenagers.

I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they’ll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.

Teaching isn’t for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.

What do you think of the writer?

  A. Stupid.         B. Honest.      C. Conservative.     D. Polite.

According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

  A. The writer’s mother has the greatest influence on her.

  B. The writer’s answer made the student confused.

  C. In the writer’s opinion, some people in the world are unfit to teach.

  D. The writer annoyed the student who asked the question.

Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?

  A. Because he thought her answer was unbelievable.

  B. Because the writer was insincere.

  C. Because the student was naughty.

  D. Because the answer was difficult to understand.

What’s the main idea of the text?

  A. A student’s silly question.            B. A good teacher who likes students.

  C. A confused student.                  D. The reason why I teach.

We can infer from the text that _________.

  A. the writer was also a good teacher in school

  B. the writer often plays with her students beside a pond

  C. the writer devotes herself to teaching and her students

  D. the writer often accompanies the students on their way home

Many years ago my student asked me the question, "Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?" Without taking time to reflect, I answered, "Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone's life." Even though I was sincere, that wasn't a very good answer and my student didn't let it slide.

"Let me get this straight," he said, "You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?" He shook his head as if I were cra zy and walked away looking confused . I'm one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.

Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach: It's in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled(逐渐灌输) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.

Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can't have ripples without a "stone." Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that's what I strive to do. I genuinely love teenagers. I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they'll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.

Teaching isn't for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.

1.. Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?

  A. Because he thought her answer was unbelievable.

  B. Because the writer was insincere.

  C. Because the student was naughty.

  D. Because the answer was difficult to understand.

2.. What do you think of the writer?

  A. Stupid.                B. Honest.          C. Insincere.       D. Polite.

3.. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

  A. The writer’s mother has the greatest influence on her.

  B. The writer’s answer made the student confused.

  C. In the writer’s opinion, some people in the world are unfit to teach.

  D. The writer annoyed the student who asked the question.

4.. We can infer from the text that _________.

  A. the writer was also a good teacher in school

  B. the writer often plays with her students beside a pond

  C. the writer devotes herself to teaching and her students.

  D. the writer often accompanies the students on their way home

5.. What’s the main idea of the text?

  A. A student’s silly question.               B. A good teacher who likes students.

  C. A confused student.                        D. The reason why I teach.

Many years ago my student asked me the question, "Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?" Without taking time to reflect, I answered, "Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone's life." Even though I was sincere, that wasn't a very good answer and my student didn't let it slide.

"Let me get this straight," he said, "You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?" He shook his head as if I were crazy and walked away looking confused. I'm one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.

Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach:

It's in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled (逐渐灌输) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.

Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can't have ripples without a "stone." Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that's what I try to do.

I genuinely love teenagers. I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they'll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.

Teaching isn't for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.

1.Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?

2.What do you think of the writer?

3. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

4.We can infer from the text that _________.

5.What’s the main idea of the text?