I was working with a client who was completely burned out on her career and life and then ready for a career change. As we were talking, she said, “I just wish I had meaningful work. I don’t feel like I am making a difference. I am just wasting my life.” This is the theme I hear most often from clients who have been in the workforce awhile.All of us want to feel like we are making a difference. We want to believe our work means something. The problem comes in defining “meaningful work”. What is it? That answer is different for everyone. For some meaningful work might be helping others organize their office. For others it may mean making a million dollars.

What really matters is how you see it. What is meaningful work to you? Take out a piece of paper and answer these questions. How do you define meaningful work? When do you feel like you are really making a difference? What work have you done so far that feels the most meaningful? Write down whatever comes to mind.

What you want to do is meaningful. It is very easy to start judging yourself as being selfish. Stop! Allow yourself to be honest. The fact is when Picasso painted; he was doing it because he liked to paint. He was not thinking, “Oh, I hope this brings joy to others’ lives.” He painted because he wanted to. When Beethoven composed, he did it because he loved music. Even scientists searching for a cure for cancer are immersed in their work because it fascinates them.

Don’t look down on your work. It is easy to downplay the importance of work that feels meaningful. I remember Tony Robbins told a story of talking with the owner of a major company. The man said to Tony, “I wish I could do what you do because it makes such adifference in people’s lives”. Tony said, “You have got to be kidding! Look at what adifference you make. You provide work, health insurance and security for thousands ofpeople!” Don’t underestimate the value you provide.

Take a look at what you have written about meaningful work. Do you see any themes? How do you wish to contribute to this world? Whatever you choose, remember that the greatest gift you can give is to find work that makes you feel fulfilled and delighted. Respect your preference because giving your gifts to the world, whatever they look like, is the most meaningful action you can ever take.

1.. What does the writer mean by mentioning the famous people?

2.. When you downplay the value of your work, you tend to think it is ______.

3..According to the passage, what meaningful job does the writer advise us to take?

4.. The article is intended to ________.

 In the eyes of dog lovers, the dog is man’s best friend. But for much wildlife, loose dogs may be a dangerous enemy, according to a study by a biologist from Utah State University in the US.

Based on much existing research and their own case studies, Julie Young of Utah State University and four other scientists conclude that loose dogs may represent a huge danger to wildlife, especially endangered species, by hunting down or worrying them and by spreading diseases. They also found that dogs, their worldwide numbers around 500 million, can cause more damage to wildlife and livestock(牲畜) than wolves and other enemies of these animals.

Young gave examples from the US state of Idaho, where research showed the presence of dogs reducing some deer populations. On the Navajo American Indians’ reservation in northeastern Arizona, packs of loose dogs are chasing livestock. They have killed populations of small animals such as rabbits and act as a disease carrier for rabies(狂犬病) among people and other animals, she said. Loose dogs also were to blame for distemper outbreak leading to a die-off of endangered black-footed ferrets in northwestern Wyoming in the 1980s.

The phenomenon is not just limited to US; it’s a global problen. Julie Young once studied three endangered species in central Asia: wild sheep, gazelles and antelope. The rate of injury and death to these animals by loose dogs was very high. In another case, Young found that dogs, not wolves, as originally suspected, were responsible for a large number of livestock killings in the mountainous Basque country between Spain and France.

Authors of the new study said the problem is likely to worsen as communities expand. Then how to deal with it?

Indeed, in many countries, leash(拴狗的皮带) laws permit punishment of dog owners whose pets chase wildlife. But lawbreakers are rarely punished because the police lack both people and money.

Young has low-cost solutions to the problem for dog lovers, though. They include public dog-training programs and vaccinating (预防接种) dogs against rabies and other illnesses.

1.. What is the main point of Julie Young’s study?

2.. Which of the following statements about loose dogs is TRUE according to the research?

3.. Which of the following is among Julie Young’s solutions to the trouble caused by loose dogs?

4.. What is the main point of the article?

1.. You ___________________ (没必要告诉) her the news yesterday, for I had told her earlier.（need）

2.. As we all know, it was _____________________(他的粗心) that resulted in the car accident.(careless)

3.. The press conference, originally _______________________(将在明天举行), has to be put off for some reason.(hold)

4..  ___________________(是我莫大的荣幸) to have been invited to speak at the coming 100th anniversary of our univerity. (honour)

5.. If it had not been for your help, _________________(我们不会生活幸福) now.(live)

6.. Some experts recommend signs and posters be put up in areas ____________________(不允许抽烟的地方).（allow）

7.. _____________________(没有公汽)at that time, we had to walk home.(there)

8.. I really don’t know  where  I _______________________(钱被偷). (have) 

9.. It was the driver rather than the two children __________________(为……负责)the accident.(responsible)

10..No sooner _____________________(我们一冲出) of the building than it fell down---how lucky we were! (rush)

前不久湖南郴州教辅事件曝光，其实全国书市上各种各样的教辅、参考书（teaching reference books）泛滥，已成师生共同关注的问题。请以“How to Make Use of Reference Books” 为题，按照下列要求写一篇120字左右的作文，表达自己的观点。首句已给出，不计入总字数。

1. 教辅、参考书泛滥已成师生共同关注的问题；

2. 教辅、参考书泛滥带来的影响；

3. 作为在校学生你该如何选择和使用它们。

How to Make Use of Reference Books

Nowadays there are too many kinds of teaching reference books available in the book market._________________________________________________________________________     

We went right round to the west coast by __________ sea instead of driving across _________ continent．

--- Do you mind if I record your lecture?

--- ___________．Go ahead．

--- Is Peter there?

--- _____________, please．I’ll see if I can find him for you．

--- Why do you suggest we buy a new machine?

--- Because the old one has been damaged ___________．

--- I’m sorry．I ___________ at you the other day．

--- Forget it．I was a bit out of control myself．

My mom is a teacher．She finds a lesson in everything．I was watching Sesame Street by my second birthday so I’d   16   my ABCs and 123s．Our weekly family trips to the library began when I was three．And my mom had me spotting （认出） the historical markers with childlike   17   on family vacations by the time I was six．For her, life was all about learning．But the biggest lesson she   18   me was never to let my   19   define who I am, and never forget what is   20   in life．

I was born with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome, an extremely   21   genetic bone and muscular disorder．There are only about 100 reported   22 ．At birth, my knees were bent more than 90 degrees, and I had my first surgery to   23   them when I was just six weeks old．This surgery was the first of many in my   24 ．I’d had 26 surgeries by the time I was 15．

Strange as it   25  , I have good memories of my medical days．One of my   26   is about my mom and me being in the hospital cafeteria（自助餐厅）．We sat down for an ice cream sandwich dessert．It was   27   fancy, but at that moment, I knew I was   28 ．

My parents pushed me to be as   29   as possible — even when I didn’t want to be．My mom taught me that I could do anything and that I should   30   let my disability stop me．In high school, I was a member of the National Honor Society, and in college, I was editor-in-chief of my school newspaper．I wouldn’t have had the   31   to push myself if my parents hadn’t been there,   32   me on and giving me a reality check when I got down on myself．

Every night before I go to bed, I   33   my mom for everything, for all the great help she’s given me．And   34   I get older, I know that “Thanks, Mom” is about so much more than the physical assistance．And that’s   35   matters the most．