How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt＇s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times. ”
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.
小题1:How did the author get to know America?| A．From her relatives | B．From her mother | | C．From Books and pictures | D．From radio programs |
小题2:Upon leaving for America the author felt . | A．confused | B．excited | C．worried | D．amazed |
小题3:What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?| A．She worked as a translator | | B．She attended a lot of job interviews | | C．She paid telephone bills for her family | | D．She helped her family with her English |
小题4:The author believes that . | A．her future will be free from troubles | | B．it is difficult to learn to become patient | | C．there are more good things than bad things | | D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
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小题1:C
小题2:B
小题3:D
小题4:D |
试题分析：作者通过自己到美国的经历，学到了一条非常重要的原则：几乎所有的困难最终都会解决掉的。只要你不放弃。
小题1:细节理解题。第二段的句子When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures.可以知道答案为C
小题2:推测题，第二段前两行已经告诉我们作者离开的时候感受到的不是困惑和担忧，而是兴奋，选B
小题3:综合判断题，第四段用很多例子表明他用他的英语在帮助家人。选D
小题4:细节理解题。从最后一段的句子：Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little!可知几乎所有的困难最终都会解决掉的。只要你不放弃。
答案是D。
点评：本文考查细节题为主，细节题可以在文章中直接找到与答案有关的信息或是其变体。搜查信息在阅读中非常重要在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都属于这类围绕主体展开的细节。做这类题一般采用寻读法即先读题，然后带着问题快速阅读短文，找出与问题有关的词语或句子，再对相关部分进行分析对比，找出答案。 |
核心考点
试题【How I Turned to Be OptimisticI began to grow up that winter night when my parent】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
I work as a volunteer for an organization that helps the poor in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to___1____ him.
Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and ____2____. For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too ___3____ for a 17-year-old. Then, on day three, as we were ___4____ over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned(咧嘴笑),“Pretty hard.”
After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes ___5___ large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized(着迷). He couldn’t stop ___6____. Later he said ____7____ , “I wish I could speak French.” I was ___8___— this from a boy who hated and ___9____ French classes throughout school.
Usually silent, he ___10___ Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed(活泼起来).
__11___, the moment that really took __12___ breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was ___13___ a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in ___14___. Through determination, she had learned to read and write, and __15___ to become part of the leadership of the __16___.
Learning her story, Barrett was as ___17___ as I by this tiny woman’s achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a ___18___ of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.
When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay ___19___ as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This ___20____ achieved all I’d expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18th birthday. He’ll be a man.
| 小题1: | | A．comfort | B．please | C．attract | D．educate |
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| 小题2: | | A．rough | B．dangerous | C．troublesome | D．violent |
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| 小题3: | | A．little | B．much | C．fast | D．slow |
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| 小题4: | | A．moving | B．running | C．climbing | D．looking |
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| 小题6: | | A．joking | B．crying | C．shouting | D．smiling |
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| 小题7: | | A．patiently | B．regretfully | C．lightly | D．cheerfully |
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| 小题8: | | A．ashamed | B．disappointed | C．determined | D．surprised |
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| 小题9: | | A．took up | B．went in for | C．fought against | D．called off |
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| 小题10: | | A．befriended | B．disregarded | C．avoided | D．recognized |
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| 小题11: | | A．Thus | B．Even | C．Meanwhile | D．However |
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| 小题13: | | A．asking | B．interviewing | C．arranging | D．describing |
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| 小题14: | | A．brain | B．wish | C．will | D．health |
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| 小题15: | | A．appeared | B．struggled | C．hesitated | D．failed |
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| 小题16: | | A．village | B．city | C．organization | D．state |
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| 小题17: | | A．pleased | B．bored | C．puzzled | D．touched |
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| 小题18: | | A．combination | B．composition | C．connection | D．satisfaction |
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| 小题20: | | A．interview | B．flight | C．article | D．trip |
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When I was young, I really doubted whether there was love between my parents. Every day they were busy earning money so that they could 41 the high tuition my brother and I needed. They didn’t 42 in the romantic ways that I read in books or saw on TV.
One day, Mom was sewing a quilt（被子）. I 43 sat down beside her. “Mom, I have a 44 here,” I said after a while. “Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very 45 voice.
Mom stopped her work and raised her head with 46 in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. She bent her head and continued to sew the quilt. I was 47 if I had hurt her. I was in great embarrassment and I was at a loss what to do. But at last she said, very 48 , “Susan, look at this 49 . Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and lasting. If 50 is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen, but it’s really there. 51 is inside.”
I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until years later.
One day, Dad accidentally got 52 while on duty. Ever since then he could no longer 53 properly. Every morning and dusk Mom would help Dad walk slowly on the country road. Along the country road, there were beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The leaves were gently glistening（发光） 54 the sun shining upon them. All of these made up the most beautiful 55 in the world.
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day. “Susan, don’t worry about me,” he said gently. “I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life.” Looking into his eyes, I 56 what they meant.
The doctor had said Dad would 57 in two months. But that day never came. He 58 away in peace.
59 I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this 60 , I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life, which makes life strong and warm…
| 小题1: | | A．afford | B．cost | C．spend | D．offer |
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| 小题3: | | A．happily | B．silently | C．secretly | D．nervously |
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| 小题4: | | A．request | B．problem | C．message | D．question |
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| 小题5: | | A．loud | B．light | C．low | D．clear |
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| 小题6: | | A．surprise | B．anger | C．stress | D．horror |
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| 小题7: | | A．amazed | B．confused | C．shocked | D．ashamed |
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| 小题8: | | A．quickly | B．excitedly | C．bitterly | D．gently |
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| 小题9: | | A．quilt | B．needle | C．thread | D．sewing |
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| 小题10: | | A．belief | B．work | C．experience | D．life |
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| 小题11: | | A．Warmth | B．Thread | C．Cotton | D．Love |
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| 小题12: | | A．tired | B．drunk | C．ill | D．injured |
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| 小题13: | | A．talk | B．walk | C．work | D．think |
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| 小题15: | | A．signs | B．symbols | C．pictures | D．reflections |
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| 小题16: | | A．read | B．doubted | C．translated | D．recognized |
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| 小题17: | | A．retire | B．recover | C．regain | D．remove |
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| 小题18: | | A．passed | B．escaped | C．faded | D．turned |
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| 小题19: | | A．Again | B．Once | C．Then | D．Later |
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| 小题20: | | A．word | B．account | C．experience | D．accident |
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There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school. Before being sent away this boy was the brightest student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. He was a champion.
But the boy changed after leaving home and attending the boarding school. His grades started dropping. He hated being in a group. He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he felt like killing himself. All of this was because he felt worthless and that no one loved him.
His parents started worrying about the boy. But even they did not know what was wrong with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him casual questions about his classes, teachers and sports. After some time his dad said, “Do you know son, why I am here today?”
The boy answered back, “to check my grades?”
“No, no” his dad replied, “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.”
These words caused the boy’s eyes to fill with tears. He hugged his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.
Now the boy had everything he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He meant the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad!
Thanks a lot, dad. YOU ARE MY LIFE.
小题1:The boy changed after he went to the boarding school because________.| A．his grades were not as good as before | B．his classmates didn’t like him | | C．his father seldom went to see him | D．he felt no one cared about him |
小题2:The father went to the boarding school to_________.| A．know if he was still the best student | | B．find out what was wrong with his son | | C．ask some questions about his classmates | | D．talk with the boy’s teacher about his grades |
小题3:The underlined word “ casual” in Paragraph 4 means _______.| A．unimportant | B．strange | C．special | D．difficult |
小题4:The passage mainly tells us never to _________.| A．send a small boy to a boarding school | | B．care too much about a student’s grades | | C．pay no attention to the power of caring | | D．miss the chance to say thanks to our fathers |
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Can feeling of nostalgia(怀旧) be good for you? Or is it unhealthy to have a strong love for the past?
For years, medical experts have studied nostalgia and the reasons for it. Many experts warn that too much nostalgia is harmful. They say living in the past shows that a person is unhappy with his present life. These feelings keep the person from living his life to its fullest.
However, experts say it is normal to love the past sometimes. In fact, a little nostalgia can enrich a person’s life.
Dr. Louise Kaplan has written several books about nostalgia. She says these feelings often begin when a young person is between 13 and 19 years old.
“This is the time when you must face the loss of your childhood, “Kaplan says. “You see your new life is easily destroyed. But you think romantically about a golden past. You remember your childhood as a time when life is perfect.”
These feelings continue as the person gets older, Kaplan adds. She says many grown persons have a hard time keeping up with changes in the modem world, so they think back to their younger years. At that time the world seemed simple and more harmless.
Kaplan says these feelings do not always actually exist. The good old days did not always exist. The good old days weren’t always good. However, she says nostalgia can be helpful, if used properly.
“Feelings of nostalgia can cause you to remember a time when you had high hopes and dreams, “Kaplan says. “It might give you the strong wish to catch those dreams today in your past life.” She adds that nostalgia can prevent you from “cutting yourself off from your aim”.
小题1:Feeling of nostalgia ______.| A．can cause you to think of your past which was full of hopes and dreams | | B．might cause you to try to realize the golden dream in the present life | | C．fill one with hopes for the future no matter what happens | | D．bring about a love for the past and a hope for the future |
小题2:The reason for grown persons to think back to their past is that ______.| A．time is hard, so they cannot keep up | | B．they can hardly keep up with changes in today’s world with changes | | C．many grown persons have little time keeping up with changes | | D．they lived in the past, of which they are always proud |
小题3:Which of the following is NOT talked about in the passage? | A．Too much nostalgia is harmful to our health. | | B．Nostalgia shows that a person is not satisfied with his present life. | | C．Only women have feelings of nostalgia. | | D．A little nostalgia can make a person’s life more colorful. |
小题4:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?| A．Thoughts on Nostalgia | | B．The Reasons for Nostalgia | | C．Why Not Think Back to the Past | | D．Nostalgia, Good or Bad |
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“No man is an island” is a well-known line from John Donne’s Devotion. It was written more than three hundred years ago. Even now people still agree with him. No one can live a completely lonely life. Without other people, life will become empty and sad. We all need to have friends.
For some of us, although making friends is not difficult, feeling shy, we may not want to make the first move. It is also difficult at times to keep the friends we already have.
There are many books about friendship, but Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, written in 1936, is the most famous. This “how to” book about getting along with other people became a best seller. It was later put into 28 languages.
Dale Carnegie’s advice seems to be simple, but can his advice help you? Do you need to change the way you act? Here is the list of advice from his book:
Be friendly and polite.
Always greet with a smile. Begin with “Excuse me” or “Would you please” when you want to ask somebody. Remember to say “Thank you” and try to be as helpful as you can.
Go out of your way to be nice.
Find some time to do special things for other people. Making some soup for a sick neighbour may seem like a little thing to you, but it will make your neighbor feel a lot better.
Remember names.
They say that the sweetest music to a person’s ears is the sound of his or her own name.
Be open-minded.
Try to understand other people’s ways and ideas and learn something from them.
Listen patiently.
When someone is talking to you, look at him or her, listen carefully and say something when necessary.
小题1:The underlined sentence “No one can live a completely lonely life.” means “_____”.| A．No one can live a hard life. | B．No one can live without difficulty. | | C．No one can live alone. | D．No one can live on an island. |
小题2:The best title for the passage should be _______________.| A．How to Make Friends | B．A Famous Book | | C．Friendship First | D．John Donne and Dale Carnegie |
小题3:Some of us find it not easy to make friends because _____________.| A．we are afraid of making bad friends | | B．we are shy to take the first action | | C．we feel sure that we already have enough friends | | D．we feel worried that we won’t be able to keep our friends |
小题4:We can learn from the passage that ________________.| A．John Donne learned something from Dale Carnegie | | B．Friends are always friends | | C．Few people bought Carnegie’s book | | D．The writer of this passage agrees with John Donne and Dale Carnegie |
小题5:Which of the following is not talked about in Carnegie’s book?| A．Say “Excuse me” before you ask. | | B．Don’t visit your neighbors too often. | | C．Think more about others. | | D．People enjoy hearing their own names. |
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