Question

When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could __36__ tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 37 in class.

When I took the first exam, I was 38 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper,   39   English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained_ 40   .

I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that  41  because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I   42  with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 43     .

One more test before the final exam. One more  44  to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time，   45   the meaning of the word “thorough”. But my  46__    did no good and everything  47   as before.

The last hurdle(障礙) was the final. No matter what   48   I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the   49   goodbye.

I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even  50  myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have  51__with a test.

A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He  52__ to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you  53  , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”

I stared at him，  54  that his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head   55  , 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.

36.   A. take        B. discuss      C. cover         D. get

37.   A. sought      B. presented    C. exchanged     D. obtained

38.   A. shocked     B. worried      C. scared        D. anxious

39.   A. but         B. so          C. for           D. or

40.   A. unchanged   B. unpleasant   C. unfriendly     D. unmoved

41.   A. reflected     B. meant       C. improved     D. affected

42.   A. quarreled    B. reasoned     C. bargained     D. chatted

43.   A. attitude      B. mind        C. plan         D. view

44.   A. choice       B. step         C. chance       D. measure

45.   A. memorized    B. considered   C. accepted      D. learned

46.   A. ambition      B. confidence   C. effort         D. method

47.   A. stayed        B. went        C. worked       D. changed

48.   A. grade         B. answer      C. lesson        D. comment

49.   A. scholarship     B. course      C. degree       D. subject

50.   A. helped         B. favored     C. treated       D. relaxed

51.   A. fun            B. luck       C. problems      D. tricks.

52.   A. happened       B. proved     C. pretended     D. seemed

53.   A. valued         B. imagined    C. expected     D. welcomed

54.   A. remembering    B. guessing    C. supposing    D. realizing

55.   A. out            B. over       C. on           D. off

Answer 1

36. A      37. B      38. A        39. C        40. D

41. B      42. B       43. B       44. C        45. D

46. C      47. B       48. A       49. A        50. C 

51. A      52. D       53. C       54. D        55. D