We are surrounded by mixed messages about mistakes: we're told we earn by making them,
but we work hard to avoid them. So the result is that most of us know that we are going to make
mistakes, but deep down, we feel we shouldn't.
Experiments with schoolchildren who did well on a given test show that those who were
praised for being smart and then offered a more challenging or less challenging task afterward
usually chose the easier one. On the other hand, children praised for trying hard-rather than
being smart-far more often selected the more difficult task.
If we try hard to avoid mistakes, we aren't open to getting the information we need in
order to do better. In a writing study, experiments showed that those who are so scared to
make mistakes perform worse in writing tasks than those who aren't as worried about being
perfect. They fear receiving any kind of negative feedback, so they don't learn where they went
wrong and how to get better.
We don't just learn more when we're open to mistakes, we learn deeper. Research tells us
that if we're only concerned about getting the right answer, we don't always learn the
underlying concepts that help us truly understand whatever we're trying to figure out. Mistakes
need to be seen not as a failure to learn, but as a guide to what still needs to be learned. As
Thomas Edison said, “I am not discouraged, because every abandoned wrong attempt is
another step forward. "
Furthermore, we often make mistakes because we try new things-we wander away from
accepted paths. Teflon, penicillin-these are examples of great discoveries made by mistake.
Take a page from Albert Einstein, who said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never
tried anything new. "
1.What will happen to students praised for being smart in face of choosing tasks compared to students praised for working hard?
A. He will choose a less challenging task.
B. He will hide his mistakes from his teachers.
C. He will work harder to avoid mistakes.
D. He will ask his teachers for advice.
2.Which of the following statements is NOT acceptable according to the passage?
A. The more mistakes we make, the more we learn.
B. Mistakes can be used as a positive factor for success.
C. Being open to mistakes help you understand the truth.
D. A step forward may come from mistakes you've made.
3.What does the last paragraph want to tell us?
A. One must follow a correct path to avoid mistakes.
B. To become an Einstein, you should make mistakes.
C. You can't make mistakes unless you try new things.
D. Making mistakes is not a disadvantage in a way.
4. What's the main idea of the passage?
A. We can never avoid making mistakes when we work.
B. Success can't be achieved without making mistakes.
C. Mistakes should be treated with a correct attitude.
D. Try every means to avoid mistakes in our daily life.
The English writer Samuel Johnson famously said, “You find no man who is willing to leave London. No, sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” More than two centuries have passed since Johnson’s age, but his words still ring true. Here, you’ll find the historic Tower of London and the Tate Modern both considered must-sees. Shakespeare’s sonnets（十四行诗） are still being uttered by actors. Londoners most certainly still look up to the royals, but they also rock out to Coldplay and Lily Allen. And while they still sip tea, they now drink Starbucks, too.
How to Save Money in London
Find the free attractions. Many of London’s top things to do, including the National Gallery, Hyde Park and the Portobello Road Market, are absolutely free to enjoy.
Ride the Tube. Taking taxis will add up quickly, so buy a pay-as-you-go Oyster Card and travel on London’s underground system, nicknamed the “Tube”.
Dine smart. Corridors like Brick Lane offer fantastic cultural food for bargain prices; fish and chip shops are a cheap standby and takeaway food costs less than dine-in.
London Culture & Customs
London is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and its residents tend to reflect that. Practically, pack an umbrella for the rainy days and a scarf for the cold ones. As for tipping, restaurants and cafes will usually add a 10-to-15-percent service charge to the bill. If a service charge is not allotted（指定）, it’s customary to tip the same (between 10 and 15 percent). If you’re drinking at a pub or wine bar, tipping is flexible. And in a taxicab, tip the driver to the nearest pound or about 10 percent of the cost.
London Dining
London used to be highly criticized for its heavy and common menu items. Now, London is considered as one of the most gourmet cities in the world. And with its melting pot of cultures, it’s not difficult to see why. London offers everything from modern British to Malaysian. For Indian food, we suggest visiting the curry houses on Brick Lane. If you want a real high tea experience, book reservations at the Ritz, at Fortnum & Mason, or at the Dorchester — but be sure to dress the part. Pub culture is still alive and well, so if you have a hankering for fried fish and salty chips (or French fries), you’ll still find them here. And for a quick bite, exchange a few pounds for a kebab, a quick sandwich or some to go sushi, which can be found in restaurants throughout the city.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A. Life in London is exciting but tiring.
B. Londoners are traditional and fashion conscious.
C. Many well-known writers like to live in London.
D. Coffee is more popular with Londoners than tea.
2. The underlined word “hankering” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “________”.
A. desire B. respect C. preparation D. talent
3.In which column of a newspaper can we find the passage?
A. Culture. B. Travel. C. Education. D. Entertainment.
People are compassionate. With effort, we can translate compassion into action. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it’s not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register (收款机) with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash, had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.
I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.
Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. “Charge it to me,” was all he said.
What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.
1.The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits _______.
A. promised to obey the store rules
B. forgot to take any money with him
C. hoped to have the food first and pay later
D. could not afford anything more expensive
2.Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?
A. kind and lucky B. friendly and helpful
C. poor and lonely D. hurt and disappointed
3.The writer acted upon the store rules because _______.
A. he expected someone else to pay for the old man
B. he felt no pity for the old gentleman
C. he considered the old man dishonest
D. he wanted to keep his present job
4.What does the writer learn from his experience?
A. Wealth is more important than anything else.
B. Obeying the rules means more than compassion.
C. Experience is better gained through practice.
D. Helping others is easier said than done.
假如你叫李平，你的美国网友Brian想了解你的家乡成都的情况。请你根据提示给他写一封回信。
1. 所在位置：中国西南
2. 主要特点：历史悠久；熊猫故乡；美食之都。
3. 现代城市：高楼大厦，购物中心林立；各种交通方式都很方便，近年来共开通了4条地铁线路。
4. 闲适的生活方式给所有来访者留下深刻印象。
注意：
1. 词数100词左右，书信的开头结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。
2. 不要逐字翻译，表达清楚要点即可。
3. 需适当增加连接词使行文连贯。
Dear Brian,
I’m glad you’re interested to know something about my hometown Chengdu.
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I do hope that some day you’ll come to visit this city.
Yours truly,
Li Ping
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作 文。
文中共有 10 处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改 10 处，多者(从第 11 处起)不计分。
Dear Sir,
How are everything going? I am writing to tell you that I have made a lot of progresses. But I would prefer to moving into a single room in next term, as I find it inconvenient(不便的) to share a room with others. My roommate often held parties at night, making much noise. Besides, his friends are always visiting him, that disturbs me a lot. So I hope to draw your attention to this problem. I am surely you will agree that the only solution for I is to get a room of my own, one not in the same building and as near to the school campus as possible. I would appreciate very much if you could do me the favor.
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming
根据汉语完成句子。答案写在答题卷相应番号后的横线上，每空一词。
1.我们的新校区是老校区的两倍大。
Our new school district is _________ _________ ___________ __________ the old part.
2.有这个男孩带路，我们很容易就找到了那所房子。
________ the boy _________ the way, we ________ the house ________.
3.你是否介意给我看你的车票？
________ ________ _________ ________ me your ticket?
4.你知道，自从我们上次见面以来已经有六年了。
It ________ _________ six years ________ we last ________ each other, you know.
5.多年来，他一直盼望着获得哈佛大学的文凭。
He’s been _________ ________ ________ _________ the diploma from Harvard for years!
