Wishing to encourage her young son to make more progress on the piano, a mother
题型：不详难度：来源：
Wishing to encourage her young son to make more progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually found his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. To her horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
At that moment, the great pianist made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a melody. Together, the old master and the young beginner transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was amazed and, as it finished, they cheered.
That’s the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But when we put our trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life’s work can be truly beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit, and keep playing.”
小题1:The reason why the boy went to the piano was that ________.| A．he was encouraged to explore | | B．his mother forced him to have a look | | C．he was invited by the pianist | | D．he was exploring the concert hall |
小题2:What the famous pianist did at the beginning of the concert showed ________.| A．what a great pianist he was | | B．what a skilled pianist he was | | C．what an upright man he was | | D．what a strong man he was |
小题3:What did the author really want to tell us in the last paragraph?| A．Not being interrupted by others is important. | | B．Life needs one’s own effort combined with guidance and cooperation. | | C．It is necessary for us to keep doing everything. | | D．It is important for us to get help from a famous person. |
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答案
小题1:D
小题2:A
小题3:B |
解析
本文讲述的是一个小男孩无意中走上了舞台，在钢琴家的鼓励下和钢琴家一起演奏了曲子，而使音乐会获得异常的成功。从中作者总结出人的一生中需结合鼓励和合作才能成功。
小题1:根据第一段中“...Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually found his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.”...”可知，小男孩是出于好奇才走上了舞台的。因此选C。
小题2:根据第三段中“At that moment, the great pianist made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.””可知这位钢琴家没有驱赶孩子，而是鼓励孩子继续弹下去，可见他的大气，正是一位钢琴家该有的风度。因此选A
小题3:根据最后一句话可知，要获得成功除了自身的努力之外获得别人的指导也是很重要的，因此选B。 |
举一反三
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as a result or product that can easily be identified (识别) and measured. The worker who gets a rise, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language—all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they meet with new experiences and unexpected obstacles (障碍). In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept.
In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to face the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is extremely important to our ability to grow. Do we notice ourselves as quick and curious? If so, then we tend to take more chances and to be more open to unfamiliar experiences. Do we think we’re shy and indecisive? Then our sense of fear can cause us to hesitate, to move slowly, and we think we’re slow to adapt to change or that we’re not smart enough to deal with a new challenge. Then we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all.
These feelings of insecurity (无把握) and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we protect ourselves too much, then we stop growing. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.
小题1:Which of the following can be viewed as the process of personal growing? | A．Helen was always willing to accept challenges. | | B．Jane won the first prize in the speech competition. | | C．Jerry picked up French during his stay in Paris. | | D．Father’s salary rose from 5,000 to 7,000. |
小题2:For personal growth, the writer is in favor of ________.| A．being cautious(谨慎的) with changes | | B．having little interest in new things | | C．staying away from failures and challenges | | D．having an open mind to new experiences |
小题3:How do you understand the last sentence of this passage? | A．We are trapped and injured. | | B．Our body is trapped and stops growing. | | C．We get stuck in what we are doing and can not achieve real growth. | | D．We can’t protect ourselves and are trapped by others. |
小题4:Which of the following would be the best title for the text? | A．Facing New Challenges | B．Growth—Product or Process | | C．Two Basic Ways of Growth | D．Overcoming Fears |
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Quit while you"re ahead
I am one of those people who are terrible at saying no．I take on too many projects at once, and spend too much of my time doing things I"d rather not be doing．I get work done, but it"s not always the best I can do, or the best way I could spend my time．
That"s why my newest goal, both as a professional and a person, is to be a quitter．
Being a quitter isn"t being someone who gives up, who doesn"t see important things through to the end．I aspire （渴望） to be the opposite of that．The quitter I want to be is someone who gets out when there"s no value in what he"s doing, or when that value comes at the expense of something more important．
A friend of mine once told me, "I knew I was an adult when I could stop reading a book, even after getting 500 pages into it．" Strange though it sounds, we all tend to do this．We get involved in something, realize we don"t want to be a part of it, but keep on going．We say "Well, I"ve already invested so much time in this, I might as well stick it out．"
I propose the opposite: quit as often as possible, regardless of project status or time invested．If you"re reading a book, and don"t like it, stop reading．Cut your losses, realize that the smartest thing to do is to stop before your losses grow even more, and quit．Instead of reading an entire book you hate, read half of a bad one and half of a good one．Isn"t that a better use of your time?
Step back for a second．Let"s learn how to say "no" at the beginning, or in the middle, and free up more of our time to do the things we"d like to be doing, and the things actually worth doing． Saying no is hard, and admitting a mistaken yes is even harder．If we do both, we"ll start to make sure that we"re spending our time creating value, rather than increasing our losses．Let"s be quitters together．
小题1:The author wants to be a quitter, because he _____．| A．hopes to improve his personality | | B．wishes to have more time for relaxation | | C．expects to make more efficient use of his time | | D．has found it hard to do several things at one time |
小题2:In what circumstances does the author suggest quitting is a good idea?| A．When you feel tired and need a rest． | | B．When you know a task cannot be finished． | | C．When you meet with difficulties along the way in your life． | | D．When you realize what you are doing is not worth the time． |
小题3:If you stop reading a book you hate, the author might think that ______．| A．you are wise to cut your losses | | B．it"s a pity that you have wasted so much time | | C．you should finish a book that you have started | | D．you should regret choosing the wrong book |
小题4:The message the author tries to convey is to ______．| A．learn to say no | | B．live your life to the fullest | | C．create more value | | D．stop doing many things at once |
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When I learned that my 71-year-old mother was playing Scrabble—a word game—against herself, I knew I had to do something. My husband suggested we give her a computer to play against. I wasn’t sure my mother was ready for it. After all, it had taken 15 years to persuade her to buy an electric cooker. Even so, we packed up our old computer and delivered it to my parents’ home. And so began my mother’s adventure in the world of computers.
It also marked the beginning of an unusual teaching task for me. I’ve taught people of all ages, but I never thought I would be teaching my mother how to do anything. She has been the one teaching me all my life; to cook and sew; to enjoy the good times and put up with the bad. Now it was my turn to give something back.
It wasn’t easy at the beginning. There was so much to explain and to introduce. Slowly but surely, my mother caught on, making notes in a little notebook. After a few months of Scrabble and other games, I decided it was time to introduce her to word processing(文字处理). This proved to be a bigger challenge(挑战) to her, so I gave her some homework. I asked her to write me a letter, using different letter types, colors and spaces.
“Are you demanding this with your kindergarten pupils?” she said.
“No, of course not,” I said. “They already know how to use a computer.”
My mother isn’t the only one experiencing a fast personal growth period. Thanks to the computer, my father has finally got over his phone allergy(过敏反应). For as long as I remember, and time I called, my mother would answer, Dad and I have had more phone conversations in the last two months than we’ve had in the past 20 years.
小题1:What does the author do? | A．She is a cook. | | B．She is a teacher. | | C．She is a housewife | | D．She is a computer engineer. |
小题2:The author decided to give her mother a computer__________.| A．to let her have more chances to write letters | | B．to support her in doing her homework | | C．to help her through the bad times | | D．to make her life more enjoyable |
小题3:The author asked her mother to write her a letter__________.| A．because her mother had stopped using the telephone | | B．because she wanted to keep in touch with her mother | | C．so that her mother could practice what she had learned | | D．so that her mother could be free from housework |
小题4:After the computer was brought home, the author’s father__________.| A．lost interest in cooking | | B．took more phone calls | | C．played more games | | D．began to use it |
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One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried ___1___ for hours as the farmer tried to think out ___2___ to do. Finally, he decided the animal was ___3___, and the well needed to be ___4___ up anyway; it just wasn’t ___5___ it to save the donkey. He invited all his ___6___ to come over and help him. They all grabbed（握起）a shovel（铁锹）and began to shovel ___7___ into the well. At first, the donkey ___8___ what was happening and cried horribly(惊恐的,害怕的). Then, to everyone’s ___9___ he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked ___10___ the well. He was surprised at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. As the farmer’s neighbours ___11___to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would ___12__ it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily ran off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. If you want to get out of the well, the ___13___ is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone（垫脚石）. We can get out of the ___14___ wells just by not stopping, never ___15___! Shake it off and take a step up.
| 小题1: | | A．sadly | B．happily | C．excitedly | D．fiercely |
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| 小题3: | | A．painful | B．old | C．rare | D．powerful |
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| 小题4: | | A．drowned | B．solved | C．covered | D．emptied |
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| 小题5: | | A．important | B．possible | C．necessary | D．worth |
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| 小题6: | | A．neighbours | B．relatives | C．friends | D．family |
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| 小题7: | | A．dust | B．dirt | C．waste | D．soil |
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| 小题8: | | A．doubted | B．recognized | C．realized | D．admitted |
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| 小题9: | | A．sorrow | B．joy | C．fear | D．amazement |
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| 小题10: | | A．down | B．around | C．through | D．over |
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| 小题11: | | A．pretended | B．continued | C．stopped | D．determined |
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| 小题12: | | A．wash | B．blow | C．wipe | D．shake |
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| 小题13: | | A．trick | B．trap | C．trouble | D．tradition |
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| 小题14: | | A．longest | B．largest | C．deepest | D．widest |
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| 小题15: | | A．having fun | B．watching over | C．giving up | D．dying out |
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When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student(优等生), I believed I could 1 tough（=hard） subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 2 in class.
When I took the first exam, I was 3 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper, 4 English was my best subject. I went to reason with Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained 5 .
I decided to try harder, although I didn"t know what that 6 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 7 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn"t change his 8 .
One more test before the final exam. One more 9 to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts(加倍努力) and, for the first time, 10 the meaning of the word "thorough"（彻底的）.But my 11 did no good and everything 12 as before.
The last hurdle（障碍）was the final. No matter what 13 I got, it wouldn"t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 14 goodbye.
I stopped working hard. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even 15 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I"d have 16 with a test.
A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into Professor Jayne"s office. He 17 to be expecting me. "If I gave you the As you 18 , you wouldn"t continue to work as hard."
I stared at him, 19 that his analysis and strategy（策略）were correct. I had worked my head 20 , as I had never done before.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I"ve always remembered Professor Jayne"s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.
| 小题1: | | A．take | B．discuss | C．cover | D．get |
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| 小题2: | | A．found | B．presented | C．exchanged | D．obtained |
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| 小题3: | | A．shocked | B．worried | C．scared | D．anxious |
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| 小题5: | | A．unchanged | B．unpleasant | C．unfriendly | D．unmoved |
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| 小题6: | | A．reflected | B．meant | C．improved | D．affected |
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| 小题7: | | A．quarreled | B．reasoned | C．bargained | D．chatted |
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| 小题8: | | A．attitude | B．mind | C．plan | D．view |
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| 小题9: | | A．choice | B．step | C．chance | D．measure |
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| 小题10: | | A．memorized | B．considered | C．accepted | D．learned |
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| 小题11: | | A．ambition | B．confidence | C．effort | D．method |
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| 小题12: | | A．stayed | B．went | C．worked | D．changed |
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| 小题13: | | A．grade | B．answer | C．lesson | D．comment |
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| 小题14: | | A．scholarship | B．course | C．degree | D．subject |
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| 小题15: | | A．helped | B．favored | C．treated | D．relaxed |
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| 小题16: | | A．fun | B．luck | C．problems | D．tricks |
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| 小题17: | | A．happened | B．proved | C．pretended | D．seemed |
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| 小题18: | | A．valued | B．imagined | C．expected | D．welcomed |
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| 小题19: | | A．remembering | B．guessing | C．supposing | D．realizing |
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