How many times do you have to fail at something in order to succeed? Did you know that Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times while trying to invent the light bulb? He certainly had a “learn and do” attitude! He was able to turn each failed experiment into a successful way to invent the light bulb. So what can we learn from this? You can adopt the “fail forward” strategy too.
In reality, none of us are failures. It’s true that we will experience times of defeat, problems, and disasters, but remember, each one of us is meant to succeed in life. However, we must choose our fate. Henry David Thoreau said, “Men are born to succeed, not to fail.”
We can never be forced into having a happy and successful life. Whether or not you experience success or failure is completely controlled by what you think and do. You are the only one who can choose the thoughts that will keep you from achieving the abundant life and joy that you are meant to have. No matter how difficult things may seem, say to yourself, “I choose to be a happy and successful person.”
Why do some people get what they want and others fail? I believe that getting what you desire in life takes planning, and it doesn’t just happen by luck. So how do we plan for success?
It has been proven that successful people do things more differently than unsuccessful people. They recognize the patterns of success and follow them; one of those patterns is planning. They plan what they think and do, which sets them apart. They know exactly what they desire, have an intelligent plan for getting it, and then work their plan. They know what success will cost them in terms of time, energy, and results, and they devote the right resources toward making their plans happen.
1.The writer refers to Thomas Edison to ________.
A．introduce his invention
B．put forward the topic of the text
C．praise the inventor
D．show the way to success
2.What Henry David Thoreau said implies that ________.
A．everyone is able to be a success
B．most people lack the confidence to succeed
C．everyone can do nothing but succeed in his life
D．no one can succeed without difficulty and suffering
3.The main idea of the last two paragraphs is that ________.
A．planning plays an important role in success
B．successful people differ from unsuccessful ones
C．successful people have many patterns of success
D．devoting the right resources can help reach one’s goal
4.Which of the following would match the text?
A．All roads lead to Rome. B．Think twice before you act.
C．No pains, no gains. D．Failure is the mother of success.
Don’t talk to me; I’m busy with my iPhone
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That’s not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（乘车上下班的人）. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000—yes, that’s 40,000—“apps” （programs downloaded for the iPhone） have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “ steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music—iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied， then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train.
1.People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy ________.
A．playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films.
B．going to work
C．reading books
D．thinking private things
2.Those who like war games can download ________ to their iPhones.
A．Tube Exits B．iShoot C．ISteam D．iPod
3.The underlined word “occupied” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
A．delighted B．busy C．controlled D．amused
4.The article tells us that ________.
A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers
B．Apple has earned a lo of money from selling 40,000 iPhones
C．with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train.
D．technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time.
A man wanted to make an investment. An idea struck him: “Why don’t I plant a small mango tree and enjoy the benefits when it grows into a big one?” So he went to the , bought a small tree and took it home. To the pride of his family, he it in the center of his .
He read everything about a mango tree. He got up early every morning, for he was determined to supply the tree with all the necessary nutrients. He watered it, it with manure（粪肥），and took good care of its leaves by removing those ones. He made sure the tree received enough care.
Many times he sat and the beauty of the growing tree while dreaming about the mangos that the tree would . His mind was always filled with the wish to taste the first fruit of the tree.
Years went by …Now, he had a big tree with its leaves shining and healthy, its bark（树皮）healthy and hard. It was a big attraction it decorated his whole garden.
Then one day he noticed a small bud（花蕾）,which in a couple of days grew into a beautiful .Now he could hardly wait for the fruit, so he started to his supply of nutrients and care. Then one day the tree let out its first product—a small green fruit. The man was so .
He waited for a few more weeks till the fruit grew in .The day came when he decided to the first fruit of the tree. He the tree, picked the fruit and then came his .The fruit was not like what he expected. It was hard, big and round. He was puzzled. He was sad.
Seeing this, his came and asked him what happened. He told them that the fruit from his tree was not what he wanted. When the neighbors heard this, they did not know whether to or comfort him, for what he planted years ago was not a mango tree. We can only reap（收获）what we plant.
1.A．city B．farm C．market D．shop
2.A．grew B．moved C．planted D．threw
3.A．garden B．house C．village D．yard
4.A．buying B．improving C．keeping D．raising
5.A．decorated B．equipped C．served D．supplied
6.A．green B．red C．white D．yellow
7.A．admired B．drew C．greeted D．operated
8.A．beneficial B．expensive C．healthy D．tasty
9.A．bear B．burst C．deserve D．make
10.A．immediately B．quickly C．narrowly D．suddenly
11.A．because B．if C．though D．when
12.A．flower B．fruit C．leaf D．nut
13.A．rise B．increase C．decrease D．decline
14.A．greedy B．happy C．nervous D．sad
15.A．age B．length C．size D．width
16.A．observe B．sell C．steal D．taste
17.A．climbed B．cut C．hid D．killed
18.A．anxiety B．cheer C．disappointment D．opinion
19.A．children B．friends C．neighbors D．relatives
20.A．complain B．laugh C．motivate D．support
—We are planning to have a casual get-together this Saturday or Sunday. Are you coming?
—______. I’ve got rather a busy day this weekend.
A．I hope so B．Sounds great C．You’d better not D．I’m afraid not
Tell me ________ how it came about that you were 20 minutes late for class. You needn’t go into details.
A．in advance B．in vain C．in total D．in brief
In English, if new words continue to be used for at least five years they generally ________ the Oxford English Dictionary.
A．come up with B．end up in C．look up to D．make up for
