My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.
It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.
I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem(自尊心), one of the most important things a person can have.
When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.
The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb(番石榴树枝) and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field — except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.
1.The writer’s first job was _______.
A. to stand down the fairway at a golf course
B. to watch over the sugar-cane plantation
C. to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields
D. to spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them
2.The word “tedious” in Paragraph 2 most probably means _______.
A. difficult B. boring
C. interesting D. unusual
3._______ gave the writer serf-esteem.
A. Having a family of eight people
B. Owning his own golf course
C. Bringing money back home to help the family
D. Helping his father with the work on the plantation
4.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. He wanted to be a successful golfer.
B. He wanted to run a golf course near his house.
C. He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation.
D. He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick.
We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard (柜厨) outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. “Buy it, ” my wife said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof rack. I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was ￡20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.
In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake, I wonder?” In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir, ” he said. “Do you need any more help?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Thanks, officer, ” I said. “You have been very kind. I live just on the road.”
He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. “Well, well, ” he said, laughing. “It’s a cupboard you’ve got there! We thought it was something else.”
My wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. “Yes, it’s a cupboard, but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could.
1.In fact the husband _______ the cupboard.
A. would like very much to buy B. badly wanted
C. was glad to have bought D. would rather not buy
2.Other drivers thought they were _______.
A. carrying a cupboard to the church
B. sending flowers to the church
C. carrying nothing but a piece of furniture
D. going to attend a funeral(葬礼) at the church
3.The police will be more polite to those who are _______.
A. driving in gathering darkness
B. in great sorrow (悲痛)
C. driving with wild glowers in the car
D. carrying furniture
4. What did the husband think of this matter?
A. It was very strange. B. He felt ashamed of it.
C. He took great pride in it. D. He was puzzled at it.
短文改错（10分）
共有十处错误，增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符∧，并在其下写上该词
删除：把多余的词用\划掉
修改：在错词下画一横线，在其下写上修改后的词
My grandfather and I enjoy fishing.
One Sunday morning we go fishing at a lake. We took ours fishing poles and headed for the lake.As soon as we arrived, so we dropped the lines into the water.Before waiting for about half an hour, I was beginning to get impatiently, I wanted to give up, and my grandfather told me to wait a little longer. Finally, there were a sudden pull at the pole and fish was caught. Within the next few minute, my grandfather also caught a fish.
Felt hungry, we built a fire by the lake and barbecued the fish. It was delicious.
How time flies! You 1. (study) in Beijing for nearly a month, during which you must have achieved a lot. Well, how’s everything going? It is reported that the weather there is very hot and dry these days, which is very different 2. that of your country. Have you adapted to it? In addition, you once complained that the food 3. (serve) there was not 4. your taste. I hope that should have been improved.
I am glad to tell you that I will go to Beijing to take part in an English speech contest in July, 5.is not only an honor, but also a great opportunity for me to improve 6. . And now I try my best to make 7. (prepare) for it. 8. , I have some trouble in collecting the materials relevant and using the language. I will appreciate 9. if you give me a hand to solve the problems.
After the contest, I want 10. go toyour school to visit you.
Please wait for my phone.
Yours, Li Hua
The passengers on the bus watched with sympathy as Susan made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and then , using her hands to _ _ the seats , settled in one of them.
It had been a year since she became blind. As the result of an accident she was suddenly thrown into a world of_ _. Susan’s husband Mark watched her _ _ into hopelessness and he was _ __ to use every possible means to help his wife.
Finally, Susan felt ready to _ __ to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but she was now too __ _ to get around the city by herself. Mark _ __ to ride the bus with Susan each morning and evening __ __ she could manage it by herself.
For two weeks, Mark __ __ Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other _ __, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new __ __.
At last, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip _ __. Monday morning arrived. Before she left, she hugged her husband_ __, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude(感激). She said goodbye and, for the first time, they went their_ _ ways. Each day went perfectly, and a wild excitement __ _ Susan. She was doing it!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work __ _ . As she was getting off the bus, the driver said, “Miss, I sure _ _ you.” Curious, Susan asked the driver _ __.
“You know, every morning for the __ __ week, a fine—looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you until you enter your office building safely,” the bus driver said.
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. She was so lucky for he had given her a gift more powerful than __ __. That is the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.
1.A. touch B. grab C. count D. feel
2.A. weakness B. sickness C. darkness D. sadness
3.A. run B. sink C. jump D. step
4.A. inspired B. determined C. honored D. pleased
5.A. return B. adjust C. honored D. pleased
6.A. tired B. astonished C. depressed D. frightened
7.A. volunteered B. attempted C. continued D. struggled
8.A. when B. as C. until D. after
9.A. drove B. directed C. accompanied D. sent
10.A. feelings B. organs C. skills D. senses
11.A. position B. environment C. status D. role
12.A. on her own B. in person C. to her benefit D. on foot
13.A. politely B. calmly C. briefly D. tightly
14.A. opposite B. separate C. fixed D. lonely
15.A. took charge of B. took place ofC. took advantage of D. took hold of
16.A. as usual B. as a rule C. as well D. as a consequence
17.A. respect B. envy C. know D. support
18.A. what B. how C. why D. who
19.A. past B. same C. first D. next
20.A. courage B. will C. sight D. wisdom
Habits of highly successful students
Never over-study
When you spend much time studying you will quickly lose focus and the time spent in studying will become “junk time”. You think you’re studying but you’re just sitting there re-reading the same sentence about 100 times and you’re not getting anywhere. Instead, take regular breaks.____ 1.__.Besides, it will give your mind some time to take in what you have been doing.
____2.___
Top students don’t just randomly(随意地) sit down and complete work. They actually plan what they are going to do. They actually plan the time they will study and they set goals for what will be achieved. If you want to be successful, do as successful people do. Set a plan and, set a goal and stick to it, which create a routine and a routine is the first step towards developing a habit.
_____3._____
Front up to the toughest work first
Many of us like to do the easy things first to build our confidence. That’s fair enough. The only challenge with this approach is that you use up your primary energy at the start of any study period and so if you are dealing with the easy parts with your primary energy your batteries will be low when it comes the time to deal with the hard part. So what happens then? __4.___. We all do it. We really shouldn’t, though. So develop the habit of giving your primary energy to the hard tasks and completing the easy stuff last.
_____5._____
Do we really have to explain this? Just turn them off for an hour; we promise the world will still be there when you log back in. Don’t text your friends; don’t chat while doing memory activities; don’t make phone calls; just focus on what you're doing. Ever if you focus on work for 15 minutes followed by 5 minutes of chatting, it’s better than 30 minutes of work while also chatting. You get that right?
A. Taking breaks can make you get everywhere.
B. You get tired and impatient and just give up
C. Positive habits decide future success
D. Plan your study
E. Taking breaks will make you energetic again and refresh your mind
F. Get off social networking sites and turn off the phone
G. Achieve your goal
