Andrew’s heart missed a beat. This time he would have to do it. Do or Die! A sense of urgency gripped him. Somehow he must prove himself to his father.
It was now the end of the day and the shop was being closed. The assistant employed by his father, called Mike, chuckled and put his arms round poor Andrew to comfort him,“ Sort it out yourself. It’s gotta come from yourself.” he said.
The shop was located in a bustling shopping center. Andrew left the shop and walked round the complex aimlessly and by chance entered a large bookstore. He glanced at the books and was about to leave when his eyes caught some interesting titles:‘ How to increase your confidence,’‘ The art of communication,’‘How to sell well’amongst others.
The next minute he was out of the store with the shopping bag bugling with books. In his apartment (for he loves separately from his parents and little sister),he settled himself in his easy chair and devoured the contents of the books, one by one. His keen intelligence enabled him to focus the details that matter and pick out the ideas and techniques expounded.In a week his image underwent a transformation. Gone was the stubble that used to give him an untidy image likened to a heroin addict.He was also smartly dressed now. Instead of his usual slurred speech and incoherence ,he spoke with clarity, purpose and forcefulness.He was more convincing and persuasive. Above all, confidence flowed from his being and he seemed to have learned a few tricks of the selling trade. He worked hard at his sales pitch and one day he succeeded in selling a computer. His first sale. He had finally achieved the quota of one sale within the given time frame of three weeks. The job, the shop, was his. He had to thank Mike for it. And now he had to go beyond his first successs and score, consistently and persistently. Nevertheless he had proved himself at last and the future looked bright and promising.

1. 1.

   We learn from the story that at the beginning Andrew’s father_________.

   1. A.
      holds the view that Andrew is hopeless
   2. B.
      has lost his patience with Andrew
   3. C.
      has given the shop to Andrew
   4. D.
      still hopes Andrew will improve
2. 2.

   We learn from the story that Andrew_________.

   1. A.
      has turned himself into an experienced sales manager
   2. B.
      has tried in vain to get his job done in six months
   3. C.
      has let his father down in the end
   4. D.
      has done well with the help of Mike
3. 3.

   What’s the most significant change of character in Andrew?

   1. A.
      He’s more convincing.
   2. B.
      He’s more hard-working.
   3. C.
      He is more confident.
   4. D.
      He is more intelligence.
4. 4.

   What conclusion can we draw from the story?

   1. A.
      Success depends on hard work,talent,and willingnesss to make changes.
   2. B.
      However hard you try, you won’t achieve success without others’ help
   3. C.
      It takes time to succeed, you have to try again and again and never give up
   4. D.
      It’s good communication skills and some tricks that result in big business.

There is, for many of us, a moment in life when we make a choice that changes us forever. This moment marks a turning point, when we realize that the life we're living is not a mirror of who we really are.
For some, the moment comes as a result of something dramatic: the sudden loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. For others, they have to deal with difficult situations, such as financial hardship. In these challenging times, it's more critical(关键时刻的) than ever for us to seize the possibility of positive change. As I travel and talk to people about their lives, I often see a distant, vacant look in their eyes -- a look that says “I’m so busy trying to survive my life that no soul left to live it”.
As a result, we end up feeling lonely. Yet we keep on going the way we've been going. We tolerate high levels of stress at work, take important relationships for granted, or put our health needs on hold. We get so caught up in the details of living that our busyness becomes an excuse from the inner voice that begs us to listen. When you finally pay attention to that little voice and begin to make even small changes, you will slowly improve yourself.
To start positive change, you need the power of your mind. I've come up with a five-step strategy that will help you. You will be able to identify what you want and then go after it. It's easier than you might think.
1. Reset your happiness set point. Don't limit yourself! When I decided that I wanted more control over my life, I set goals in physical, emotional, financial, professional, material, and play. I challenged myself to consider every possible choice. Imagine things you've never believed you could achieve. Don't let your past determine your future.
2. Trust your courage. Too often, when you're first learning to take control of your life, you doubt yourself. It's important to develop a strong connection with your inner guidance system. I've heard many stories about the persistent voice inside your head.
3. Take action. Once you have set goals, adjusted your beliefs, and got ready, you can start making things happen. Again, turn to those people you respect -- the ones achieving what you desire -- for support and guidance. They will both inspire you and give you practical advice on what steps you need to take.
4. Have faith. Believe that the positive energy of grace will support your efforts to improve your life. When you've done all you can, let go and trust that the right result will occur. When we have faith, we give up the need to be in control, and we set ourselves up to actually enjoy the process of change.
5. Be patient. This can be the toughest step. It's not easy to trust that your life will improve in a best way. Remind yourself of the benefits of patience. In my experience, those life changes are always worth the wait.
【小题1】What does the author intend to say in the second paragraph?

Life is full of challenges. School has to be the most challenging difficulty in the lives of youth today.

Elementary school brings about a few challenges characteristic of those years spent there. There’s the challenge of coloring in lines, a very real problem to any youngster. Or how about the challenge of remembering to raise one’s hand before one speaks? There are hundreds of rules and regulations that govern these children. The one thing that keeps these children in line is the hope of reward. Yes, this is the brass ring. The reward for a clean desk is an extra five minutes of rest! The prize for having all homework done, a shiny – new pencil topper! These small wonders keep small people in line. They make the children love challenge.

Middle school is not so easy. It is not easy for the students, and it also isn’t easy for the teachers. The challenge of staying out of trouble, or writing that research paper – these are the new challenging of an older, wiser group. This group has outgrown the rest and pencil – topper tricks. They know that their efforts have to bring them something really useful, so daybreak and pop are pulled onto the scene. How does five, ten dollars for each “A” sound? Or, how about no telephone if one doesn’t do good in school? Need I say more?

By the time high school arrives a student’s place in educational excellence or else their unlikelihood to even graduate has been founded. Little can be done now to make life’s challenges seem interesting, especially where school comes in. The lazy are rewarded with a nice job at a gas station, and a fifteen – year – old Ford. The diligent are rewarded with an SAT score of over 1100, acceptance into Yale University, and a ticket to life. By meeting the challenges of school, sticking it out, and pulling through, they are given their greatest reward: success. (from Creating Miracles by Yourself, The Most Beautiful English)

1．Which of the following is NOT correct according to the passage?

       A．Some small wonders may make the students in primary school like challenge.

       B．Reading research paper would make the students in middle school upset.

       C．Hard – working students may be admitted to one of the top universities.

       D．Success could be the reward to a senior student pulled through challenge.

2．According to the writer,           is the most testing for the young.

       A．society                B．life                      C．school                 D．desire

3．A student rewarded with a fifteen – year – old Ford shows           .

       A．he is a good student                             B．he studies hard

       C．he is bright                                          D．he is lazy

4．What we can make out from the passage is             .

       A．that everyone was forced to fight with others for their social position at school

       B．that you couldn’t find a better job in society if you don’t beat others at school

       C．that school is so cruel that we don’t need to break our wonderful friendship

       D．that school is the battlefield for they young because it makes us fail or succeed

“It’s the best…uhh…What? You don’t want it?...,”the inexpertienced young man uttered,his hope dashed.
“Again,you disappointed me,Andrew.When are you going to learn? You have to be sure and confident. And think how best to make him part with his money. Apply yourself, Son. All your college education will not help if you don’t put your mind to selling. Think on your feet. Use psychology,” Andrew spoke with diffidence overwhelmed by his father’s criticism.
“You’ve been in this shop for six months and you haven’t succeeded in selling a single computer. I tell you what. I’ll give you one more chance. I’ll give you another three more weeks. If you still can’t make one sale, I’ll call in your elder brother to replace you. He will also take over the shop when I retire. There. I’ll just give you one last chance to prove yourself,” said Mr. Whitely, his patience wearing thin.
Andrew’s heart missed a beat. This time he would have to do it. Do or Die! A sense of urgency gripped him. Somehow he must prove himself to his father.
It was now the end of the day and the shop was being closed. The assistant employed by his father, called Mike, chuckled and put his arms round poor Andrew to comfort him,“ Sort it out yourself. It’s gotta come from yourself.” he said.
The shop was located in a bustling shopping center. Andrew left the shop and walked round the complex aimlessly and by chance entered a large bookstore. He glanced at the books and was about to leave when his eyes caught some interesting titles:‘ How to increase your confidence,’‘ The art of communication,’‘How to sell well’amongst others.
The next minute he was out of the store with the shopping bag bugling with books. In his apartment (for he loves separately from his parents and little sister),he settled himself in his easy chair and devoured the contents of the books, one by one. His keen intelligence enabled him to focus the details that matter and pick out the ideas and techniques expounded.In a week his image underwent a transformation. Gone was the stubble that used to give him an untidy image likened to a heroin addict.He was also smartly dressed now. Instead of his usual slurred speech and incoherence ,he spoke with clarity, purpose and forcefulness.He was more convincing and persuasive. Above all, confidence flowed from his being and he seemed to have learned a few tricks of the selling trade. He worked hard at his sales pitch and one day he succeeded in selling a computer. His first sale. He had finally achieved the quota of one sale within the given time frame of three weeks. The job, the shop, was his. He had to thank Mike for it. And now he had to go beyond his first successs and score, consistently and persistently. Nevertheless he had proved himself at last and the future looked bright and promising.
【小题1】
We learn from the story that at the beginning Andrew’s father_________.

 “It’s the best…uhh…What? You don’t want it?...,”the inexpertienced young man uttered,his hope dashed.

“Again,you disappointed me,Andrew.When are you going to learn? You have to be sure and confident. And think how best to make him part with his money. Apply yourself, Son. All your college education will not help if you don’t put your mind to selling. Think on your feet. Use psychology,” Andrew spoke with diffidence overwhelmed by his father’s criticism.

“You’ve been in this shop for six months and you haven’t succeeded in selling a single computer. I tell you what. I’ll give you one more chance. I’ll give you another three more weeks. If you still can’t make one sale, I’ll call in your elder brother to replace you. He will also take over the shop when I retire. There. I’ll just give you one last chance to prove yourself,” said Mr. Whitely, his patience wearing thin.

Andrew’s heart missed a beat. This time he would have to do it. Do or Die! A sense of urgency gripped him. Somehow he must prove himself to his father.

It was now the end of the day and the shop was being closed. The assistant employed by his father, called Mike, chuckled and put his arms round poor Andrew to comfort him,“ Sort it out yourself. It’s gotta come from yourself.” he said.

The shop was located in a bustling shopping center. Andrew left the shop and walked round the complex aimlessly and by chance entered a large bookstore. He glanced at the books and was about to leave when his eyes caught some interesting titles:‘ How to increase your confidence,’‘ The art of communication,’‘How to sell well’amongst others.

The next minute he was out of the store with the shopping bag bugling with books. In his apartment (for he loves separately from his parents and little sister),he settled himself in his easy chair and devoured the contents of the books, one by one. His keen intelligence enabled him to focus the details that matter and pick out the ideas and techniques expounded.In a week his image underwent a transformation. Gone was the stubble that used to give him an untidy image likened to a heroin addict.He was also smartly dressed now. Instead of his usual slurred speech and incoherence ,he spoke with clarity, purpose and forcefulness.He was more convincing and persuasive. Above all, confidence flowed from his being and he seemed to have learned a few tricks of the selling trade. He worked hard at his sales pitch and one day he succeeded in selling a computer. His first sale. He had finally achieved the quota of one sale within the given time frame of three weeks. The job, the shop, was his. He had to thank Mike for it. And now he had to go beyond his first successs and score, consistently and persistently. Nevertheless he had proved himself at last and the future looked bright and promising.

1.

We learn from the story that at the beginning Andrew’s father_________.

  A.holds the view that Andrew is hopeless

  B.has lost his patience with Andrew

  C.has given the shop to Andrew

  D.still hopes Andrew will improve

2.

We learn from the story that Andrew_________.

  A.has turned himself into an experienced sales manager

  B.has tried in vain to get his job done in six months

  C.has let his father down in the end

  D.has done well with the help of Mike

3.

What’s the most significant change of character in Andrew?

  A.He’s more convincing.                   B.He’s more hard-working.

  C.He is more confident.                   D.He is more intelligence.

4.

What conclusion can we draw from the story?

  A.Success depends on hard work,talent,and willingnesss to make changes.

  B.However hard you try, you won’t achieve success without others’ help

  C.It takes time to succeed, you have to try again and again and never give up

  D.It’s good communication skills and some tricks that result in big business.