I was the typical“I can't”child-whatever my mother told or asked me to do was immediately followed by my cry,“I can't.”As a result,very few tasks or goals that I set out to achieve were ever completed.

One evening,my mother called me into the family room.“I want you to read this article,”Mother began.“It's about Marlo Thomas.She tells how a simple poem that she was forced to learn by her father changed her life·She went from saying‘I can't’to‘I can’·According to this article,she was able to reorganize her life and her career by learning the principles(原则)in the poem.”

I took the small magazine from Mother and looked down at the pages.There was Marlo-my idol. Beside her photo was the poem my mother had spoken of,a simple poem entitled,“I Can”.“I want you to memorize that poem,”Mother said firmly.“Mama,”I belly-ached.“I can't learn that poem.It's too long.”

“It's not too long and you can learn it.1 want you to know it perfectly by this time tomorrow,”said my mother. Unwillingly,I went back to my bedroom with the magazine.With a heavy heart,I threw myself into the bed and began my task.

“Can't is a word that is the enemy to ambition,”I began.I repeated the line.I repeated it again and again.“An enemy ambush to shatter your will…”I continued the process until I proudly recited the poem the following evening. It has now become my principle.Marlo 1 homas did not know me,but her story forever changed my life.

Saying “I can” helped me to get through the worst moments of my life: Saying “I can” encouraged me to complete things I would have otherwise seen as out of my reach. A simple poem learned at seven is a poem that will support me to seventy-seven,maybe even longer.

1.One evening my mother asked me to

A .read an article B.meet Marlo

C .write a poem D. take photos

2.The underlined part“I belly-ached”in Paragraph 3 probably means“ ”.

A. I was hungry B.I was relaxed

C. I felt unhappy D. I ate too much

3.On the following evening,I

A. repeated the lines on TV

B.read more stories about Marlo

C. proudly recited the poem

D. had a long talk with my mother

4.What can we learn from the passage'?

A.Marlo is very popular among teenagers.

B.I become interested in poems all my life.

C.Marlo always encourages me to work hard.

D.Saying“I can”has helped me get over difficulties.

完形填空(共15小题;每小题1分,计15分)

阅读下列短文,从文后各题所给的四个选项中选出一个最佳答案。

Middle school days are both fun and busy. Students spend their days in class, the interesting and sometimes boring words of the teachers. They spend the breaks running, playing, and shouting happily before going back to the classroom again. But should students spend their free time outside school?

In Western countries, it is ordinary for students to have a part-time job after school and at weekends. Students can make their own and learn more about the “real world”. They enjoy the independence( 独立) and of course money, and parents enjoy the quiet house.

, it seems that, in China, parents so much about their children’s studies that they would prefer to see their children most of their free time studying and preparing for all those . It is natural for to feel that way in China, but I believe the answer lies in balance. Sometimes, Western school children work hours after school to make money, and so they become too tired in class or have no time for homework. But Chinese students spend much time their studies that all else becomes less important until they want that new MP4 player.

So, find a good and healthy balance! If you have a part-time job, you’ll be , and your parents will also be happy you’re spending the money you make and not theirs!

1.A. hear B. hearing C. listening to D. listen to

2.A. quickly B. long C. fast D. short

3.A. where B. what C. why D. how

4.A. times B. money C. time D. homework

5.A. Because B. And C. However D. Although

6.A. know B. talk C. worry D. complain

7.A. spending B. using C. taking D. keeping

8.A. games B. competitions C. exams D. matches

9.A. students B. teachers C. children D. parents

10.A. long B. short C. free D. little

11.A. listen B. to listen C. talk D. talking

12.A. such B. so C. very D. too

13.A. in B. to C. on D. at

14.A. happy B. tired C. nervous D. busy

15.A. so B. and C. because D. Or

What do you think of black cats? Are they unluckier than cats of other colors? Many people in Western countries think so. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), did a study on cat colours and people’s understandings of cat personalities.

The study found that people do judge(判断) cat personalities by color. Scientists did a survey on the Internet. There were 49 statements (描述) matching five cat colorings with 10 personalities. People think orange and bi-coloured (双色的) cats are friendly, tri-coloured (三色的) cats are not generous, and white cats are calm, lazy and shy. As for black cats, people think they don’t have special personalities.

But why do so many people dislike keeping black cats as pets? People think black cats have less special personalities, which might be because of their bad reputation (口碑). They think black cats may bring bad luck, especially at Halloween. Movies and television shows also make people believe that.

Although people have these ideas, UC Berkeley scientists give another reason: people don’t think black cats are pretty enough. After all, nothing can show black cats are unluckier than other cats. “You can’t judge a cat by its colour, because it’s the personality of the cat, not the colour, that will let you know if the cat is right for you,” Cathy Marden, a scientist said.

1.Many people in Western countries may think black cats are .

A. lovely animals B. a sign of bad luck

C. a sign of good luck D. unfriendly animals

2.The main idea of paragraph 2 is that .

A. people often complain about black cats on the Internet

B. people think cats of different colours have different personalities

C. black cats are less popular than other cats

D. the study is a great success

3.According to the study, people think that .

A. black cats have special personalities

B. orange and bi-coloured cats are generous

C. cats with three colours are friendly

D. white cats are calm, lazy and shy

4.People don’t like black cats for the following reasons EXCEPT .

A. black cats often appear in TV shows

B. black cats bring bad luck to people

C. black cats have bad reputations

D. they don’t think black cats are beautiful

5.The passage mainly talks about .

A. why black cats are popular in movies

B. why people are not willing to keep black cats as pets

C. different colour cats have different personalities

D. different people have different ideas on black cats

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