Excellence is not difficult ---simply decide right now to give it your best shot--- you will be amazed with life gives you back.A．and; whatB．but; thatC．but; whoseD．and; whose 题目和参考答案——青夏教育精英家教网—

Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine.“Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting creatures,”William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word“habit”carries a negative meaning.

So it seems contradictory to talk about habits in the same context as innovation (创新). But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.

Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try, the more creative we become.

But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.

“The first thing needed for innovation is attraction to wonder,”says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind.“But we are taught instead to‘decide’, just as our president calls himself‘the Decider’．”She adds, however, that“to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities.”

“All of us work through problems in ways of which we’re unaware,”she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the ability to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally, collaboratively (合作地) and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that ability, preserving only those ways of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.

The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us use our innovative and collaborative ways of thought.“This breaks the major rule in the American belief system—that anyone can do anything,”explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will…and Ms. Markova’s business partner.“That’s a lie that we have preserved, and it fosters commonness. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence.”This is where developing new habits comes in.

Brain researchers have discovered that .

A．the forming of new habits can be guided

B．the development of habits can be predicted

C．the regulation of old habits can be transformed

D．the track of new habits can be created unconsciously

The underlined word “ruts”in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to .

A．zones B．connections C．situations D．tracks

Which of the following statements most probably agrees with Dawna Markova’s view?

A．Decision makes no sense in choices.

B．Curiosity makes creative minds active.

C．Creative ideas are born of a relaxing mind.

D．Formation of innovation comes from fantastic ideas.

he purpose of the author writing this article is to persuade us .

A．to give up our traditional habits deliberately

B．to create and develop new habits consciously

C．to resist the application of standardized testing

D．to believe that old habits conflict with new habits

Years ago, a Southern woman was in one of my workshops. When asked to tell a story that 36 her character (品质), she described an 37 when she was 5. She was at her grandfather’s house 38 up in a beautiful white skirt and new gloves , 39 as she could be.

Her grandfather told her she could go into the 40 and get herself a cookie. Next to the cookies was a pile of coins. Sure that no one was 41 , she took one of the coins, too.

When she 42 with her cookie, her grandfather asked her to show him her 43 . She held out only her left hand 44 , and he said, “Show me the other hand.” When she unwillingly did 45 , showing the coin, she saw 46 in her grandfather’s eyes.

He paused a moment and then 47 her up, saying, “Darling, you can have anything in the world that I have, but it breaks my heart that you’d ever 48 it.” Some 50 years later, this story of how her grandfather gave her the gift of 49 still brought tears to her eyes.

Few things have as large an influence on 50 the values of a child as the strong pain of lovingly administered shame (羞愧). It helps judge right from wrong and gives a 51 emotional (感情的) dimension to moral (道德的) and character issues.

Kids, and adults for that matter, learn from their 52 . Parents, teachers and coworkers can remind them of their moral responsibilities without shaming or 53 them.

What we can’t do is just let 54 go, unless we want to send the message that’s okay. What we allow, we 55 . And we should never encourage anything other than moral excellence.

1. A．changed B．affected C．formed D．built

2. A．occasion B．adventure C．accident D．incident

3. A．put B．brought C．dressed D．held

4. A．proud B．patient C．creative D．absurd

5. A．restaurant B．supermarket C．kitchen D．shop

6. A．looking B．passing C．following D．listening

7. A．fled B．returned C．arrived D．continued

8. A．hands B．coins C．cookies D．gloves

9. A．quickly B．politely C．cautiously D．suddenly

10. A．also B．so C．even D．though

11. A．disappointment B．surprise C．excitement D．pleasure

12. A．sent B．called C．took D．hugged

13. A．possess B．steal C．hide D．sell

14. A．confidence B．determination C．honesty D．courage

15. A．shaping B．judging C．destroying D．acquiring

16. A．different B．similar C．practical D．powerful

17. A．experiences B．mistakes C．adventures D．books

18. A．troubling B．endangering C．hurting D．cheating

19. A．misbehaviors B．faults C．burdens D．sufferings

20. A．encourage B．agree C．adjust D．refuse

Some American parents might think their children need better education to compete with China and other countries’ children． But how much do the parents themselves need to change?

A new book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother written by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting． Ms． Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and a mother of two daughters． She was raised in America by immigrant Chinese parents． In her book, Ms． Chua wrote about how she demanded excellence from her daughters． For example, she threatened to burn her daughter’s dolls unless she played a piece of music perfectly． She would scold her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations．

Ms． Chua had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do: “Attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an A．” Many people criticize Amy Chua, saying her parenting methods were cruel and violent． She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style． But she says that is the way her parents raised her and her three sisters．

Ms． Chua says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted “I hate my life! I hate you!” But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children’s abilities． Amy Chua thinks one of the biggest differences between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents take on strength rather than fragility．”

Stacy DeBroff, who has written four books on parenting, says: “Parents should rethink, what does it mean to be a successful parent and what does it mean to be a successful child?” She says Amy Chua’s parenting style is not limited to Chinese families． It represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children． But she also sees a risk． When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life． Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised．

1.Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is mainly about ___________．

A． how to teach children to learn music

B． how to change the ways of parenting

C． Amy Chun’s experience in parenting

D． Amy Chun’s reflection of her family life

2.The underlined word “rebelled” in Paragraph 4 probably means “____________”．

A． disobeyed B． succeeded C． failed D． panicked

3. According to Ms． Chua, Chinese way of parenting is powerful because ____________．

A． parents set good examples to children

B． parents understand their children better

C． parents usually treat their children as friends

D． parents have high expectations of their children

4.What is Stacy DeBroff’s warning to immigrant parents?

A． Don’t expect too much from their children．

B． Don’t allow them to communicate with others．

C． Don’t give them freedom to do what they want to．

D． Don’t bring up their children as their parents did．

Poetry Writing Classes Online

Consider it the caviar （鱼子酱） of literature: tiny eggs with wonderful taste． Poetry has inspired the human soul for thousands of years and there are those who still treasure its magnificence．If you hear mermaids singing or feel the wind or see the sun rising in ribbons then you are one of these happy few．Excellence in poetry is mysterious, but a quest（探索） worth pursuing．In our courses, you will learn to control sound, structure, line, word, theme etc．into well-crafted poems and you will improve your precision by experimenting with various time-honored forms．You will also learn how and where to market your work．

Level I

Poetry Writing 10-Week Workshop

Using a balance of lecture, exercise, and comment on work from the instructor and classmates, this course gives students a firm grounding in all the basics of poetry writing．

·Write two-six poems

·Lectures on basics of poetry craft

·Writing exercises

·Present work for critique （评论）（two times）

PoetryI is for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals．

Online Classes

Registration Fee: $25．

Tuition: $395, Returning Students $365．

Each class strictly limited to 16 students, aged 18 and up

·You can still enroll in this class!

Advanced

Poetry Writing 10-Week Workshop

Focusing on developing projects and receiving comment from the instructor and classmates, this course helps students sharpen their skills and work toward completion of publishable work．Begin or refine two-six poems．

·Lectures that expand on basics of poetry craft

·Writing exercises

·Present work for in-depth critique （two times）

Online Classes

Registration Fee; $ 25．

Tuition: $395．Returning Students $365．

Each class strictly limited to 14 students, aged 18 and up．

·You can still enroll in this class!

1.You learn the following on Poetry Writing Classes Online EXCEPT _____

A．where you can sell your poems

B．why it's worth seeking excellence in poetry

C．how to write a well-crafted poem

D．how to sharpen your skills in poetry

2.If you rejoin the online poetry writing classes, you should pay _____．

A．$390 B．$410 C．$395 D．$365

3.If you are a beginner, you can start the courses from _____．

A．July 14 B．Aug 14 C．July 6 D．Oct 6

4.In Advanced Poetry Writing Class, you are asked to _____.

A．lay steady foundations for the basis of poetry writing

B．hand in your poems getting ready for publication

C．make comments on the work of your classmates

D．give some lectures on basics of poetry craft

5.The passage is most probably from a _____．

A．newspaper advertisement B．book review

C．scientific magazine D．news report

Americans are thinking about national education standards recently developed by teachers and other education experts. The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the effort.

The United States, unlike other nations, has never had the same school standards across the country. What is the reason? Education is not discussed in the Constitution. That document limits the responsibilities of the federal government. Other responsibilities, like education, fall to the individual states.

Local control of education probably was a good idea two hundred years ago. People stayed in the same place and schools knew what students needed to learn. But today, people move to different cities. And some people work at jobs that did not exist even twenty years ago.

Many American educators say that getting a good education should not depend on where you live. They say that some states have lowered their standards in order to increase student scores on tests required by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Kara Schlosser is communications director for the Council of Chief State School Officers. She says the new standards clearly state what a student should be able to do to be successful in college and work.

Forty-eight states have already shown approval for the standards. Two states reject the idea. Critics(批评家) say that working toward the same standards in every state will not guarantee(保证) excellence for all. Some educators in Massachusetts say adopting the proposal will hurt their students because the state standards are even higher. Others say the change will be too costly, requiring new textbooks and different kinds of training for teachers. Still others fear federal interference or control.

Supporters say the standards are goals and do not tell states or teachers how to teach. They also say the federal government is not forcing acceptance. However, approving the standards will help states qualify(合格) for some federal grant money.

1．What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Local Control of Education Standards out of Date

B．American National Education Standards under Consideration

C．Education Standards in Each State – Good or Bad

D．Acceptance of the New Standards in the United States

2．Why is local control of education no longer a good idea today?

A．Because local standards are limited.

B．Because it is required by the federal government.

C．Because people today moves among states more often than before.

D．Because America has never has the same school standards thought the country.

3．Some people are against the national education standards because_______.

A．the standards are higher than those of each state

B．the are nor yet prepared for the new standards

C．the standards may prevent some students gaining excellence

D．they don’t want the federal government to train their teachers

4．If a state agrees to accept the motional standards, it will probably get_______.

A．more students B．advice on how to improve teaching

C．better textbooks D．money from the federal government

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