Paula Radcliffe, chasing (角逐) a third London marathon title (冠軍), says she has
become a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
    Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August,
said:"Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care about criticism (批評)."
    "In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to
the people around me."
    She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe
should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
    "Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she
really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted (聯(lián)系) me."
    Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
    "In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the
race."
    Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and
not chasing world records.
    However, Radcliffe has not ruled out (排除) in the future chasing her "final" world
record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career
to produce only four or five world-class times.
    "I don't think that-although I can't put a number on it," said Radcliffe. "That changes
from person to person."
    Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance some point in the
future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the
31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again
12 months later.
    Radcliffe clocked a time 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometre race three years ago.
    Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before
lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event.

1. Radcliffe's failure in Athens made her _____.

A. face criticism bravely
B. rest for five months
C. love people around her more
D. develop respect for Liz

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon.
B. Radcliffe didn't fully recover before the New York City marathon.
C. Radcliffe won her first marathon title in the 2004 Athens Games.
D. Radcliffe had a 3-month training before the New York City marathon.

3. According to the text, Radcliffe has won _____ London marathon title(s).

A. one
B. two
C. three
D. four

4. What can we learn from Radcliffe's story?

A. Practice makes perfect. 　　　　　
B. Well begun is half done.
C. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
D. Where there is a will, there is a way.

                                                  If You Make a Mistake, Don't Worry!
     Yeah, you may want to forget about them, but mistakes can be useful. Making a mistake doesn't mean it's
the end of the world. In your real life you have to grow and mature, and you will experience some growing
pains.
     You know you should have studied hard but you went out with some friends instead. You know you should
have put the money into the bank for a rainy day instead of spending it on all kinds of things you didn't need.
     Most people experience growing pains and make mistakes when they are growing up. If you make mistakes,
face them and learn from them. All of the famous people you wish to copy have made mistakes. They'll
continue to make mistakes for all their successes.
     One of the major differences between people like them and the majority of others is that they don't let their
mistakes stop them. Instead, they use their mistakes as learning tools.
     At the very least, when you make a mistake, you'll know what not to do. And you can help others by
warning them of the mistakes you've made. Don't let mistakes stop you from doing anything. Learn from them,
and don't hide. Face up to your mistakes now and later you will mature.
     What mistakes are you making now? Take a look at anything you might be doing wrong. Take a step back
and evaluate (評估) your situation, and then correct your mistakes. Then move forward.
     Always remember your mistakes to remind yourself of what not to do for the future.

1. Why does the writer say mistakes can be useful?

A. Because you can get to the end of the world.
B. Because famous people also make mistakes.
C. Because you can mature by facing and learning from mistakes.
D. Because you spend money on something you don't need.

2. When you make mistakes next time, what should you do?

A. Try to face the mistakes.
B. Let mistakes stop you from doing anything.
C. Forget the mistakes you make.
D. Expect others to make the same mistakes.

3. What can you learn from the passage?

A. Before you make any mistake, you had better hide in your room.
B. Remember your mistake and don't make the same mistake again.
C. Don't go out with some of your friends any more.
D. Forget your mistakes.

     Today we tell about the expression "down to earth". Down to earth means being open and honest. It is
easy to deal with someone who is down to earth. Such people could be important members of society, but
they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important. They do not let their
importance "go to their heads." Someone who lets something go to his head feels he is better than others.
He has a "big head."
     A person who is filled with his own importance and pride is said to have "his nose in the air." Often the
person who has a big head and his nose in the air has no reason to feel better than others.
     Americans use another expression that is similar in some ways to down to earth-"both feet on the ground."
Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality. She has what is
called "common sense." She does not allow her dreams to block her understanding of what is real.
     The opposite kind of person is one who has his "head in the clouds. "Someone with his head in the clouds
is a person whose mind is not on what is happening in real life. Such a person may be called a"daydreamen."
     The person who is down to earth usually has both feet on the ground. But the opposite is not always true.
Someone with both feet on the ground may not be as open and easy to deal with as someone who is down
to earth.
     When we have both our feet firmly on the ground,and when we are down to earth,we do not have our
noses in the air. We act honestly and openly to others. And our lives are like the ground below up-solid and
strong.

1. He who considers himself to be better and more important than others is likely to _____.

A. have his head in the clouds
B. be easy to deal with
C. have a "common sense"
D. have "a big head"

2. Which of the following expressions is similar to "down to earth"?

A. "his nose in the air"
B. "go to his head"
C. "both feet on the ground"
D. "daydreamer"

3. The passage is mainly about _____.

A. some popular American expressions
B. how to be down to earth
C. why to be honest and open
D. how to deal with someone who is down to earth

     When we talk about stars, especially women stars, it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain's Got Talent(英國達(dá)人)star Susan Boyle has changed our    views absolutely.
     Simon Cowell, one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle's voice. "This     lady camp up, and I'm thinking, 'This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea'. That           changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to  have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through -it was one of my favorite    moments," Cowell said.
     The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been           famous all over the world.
     Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn't thought of changing her                  appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. "I mean, that's hardly a makeover," she      added. Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, "I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence. "

1. Susan Boyle is _________

A. a judge  
B. a reporter  
C. a beautiful  
D. a Scottish woman

2. Susan Boyle had a look of satisfaction on her face when she was singing because______.

A. she was confident of her singing
B. she was satisfied with the judges
C. she was pretty and in good shape
D. she sang the song I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables

3. According to the passage, which is NOT true?

A. It was the vocal talents that built Susan's confidence
B. Susan Boyle was not good at her lesson when at school.
C. Susan Boyle became famous because of her appearance.
D. Simon Cowell didn't think Susan Boyle a good singer at the first sight.

4. What can we learn from Susan Boyle's success

A. It's never too old to learn.
B. It's easier to succeed at the age of 47.
C. If you have a dream, try to make it come true!
D. If you are not able to study well, to be a singer instead.

     It is commonly believed that most people go to work to make money. However, it has been said that
today people earn money to go to work. The difference between making money and going to work
suggested by this is important.
     Would you give up your job if you had a lot of money? In a 2010 poll(民意測驗) conducted by the
Gallup Organization, quite a few people conducted among said they would do so, but researchers find that work is one of life's main satisfactions for many people.
     Take Liu Yan, 23, a former teacher, for example, before she quit her job in 2010, she taught at a high
school. Although the salary was of the ordinary, she liked her job and worked so successfully that in only
one year's time after her graduation from college. She not only won a prize for excellence in teaching, but
also enjoyed wide popularity among her students. In her second teaching year, however, she met a
millionaire and got married; and went to live in Hong Kong with her husband. There she led a very
comfortable and easy life, spending most of her days doing shopping and going traveling. After one year of endless vacation, though, she began to miss her work and asked for return to her teaching position. "I'm so tired of this kind of life," she explained in her letter to the school she had previously worked for, "that I miss more than ever the days with my students."
     So what do you think of it? Which is more important: work or money?
One more question, if there are two jobs, the one offers good salary with little challenge, just like work in
the government department; the other, a lot of challenge but low salary, what's your choice?

1. What can be concluded from the passage?

A. Work is more important than money.       
B. Money is more important than work.
C. With the development of society, more people work not only for money.
D. It is difficult to say whether money or work is more important.

2. The example of Liu Yan suggests_________.

A. work is one of life's main satisfactions  
B. one would give up his job if he or she had a lot of money
C. money is more important than work    
D. one can't go without money

3.What does the underlined word "quit" mean?

A. began
B. found  
C.appreciate
D. gave up

     I'm a 21yearold boy,and this is my story.
     A month after I graduated from high school in 2004,I was coming home from swim practice and was
involved in a car accident.I was so seriously injured that I was in a coma (昏迷) for over two months at
Prince Georges Hospital.
     I died eight times during my coma and I couldn't talk or communicate when I woke up.Walking was
never going to happen again due to all the extreme injuries.Just like my body,my dreams were
shattered  (破滅)．But I was not going to let my injuries stop me from living my dream.
     After 14 operations and 36 blood transfusions,I had to learn how to talk,eat,walk,shower,and live
independently again.When I was out of hospital,I still had to go to outpatient therapy (門診治療) in
Waldorf,Maryland.After spending a few months in a wheelchair,I took baby  steps to walk on my own.It was a miracle (奇跡) that I  could walk again,but I wanted to prove that I could not  only walk,but run.
When it came true,I wanted to get  back in the pool again.After a few lung tests,I was able  to go in the
pool a little bit each week.After a few months  of swim training,I began my freshman year at St.Mary's
College of Maryland and became a proud member of the swim team.
     By telling my story,I want to make a positive influence on the world.I am just trying to live each day to
the fullest and inspire other people to never give up on their dreams no matter how bad a situation is.I
remember when I was still in my hospital bed,I would have my mom and dad push me around in my wheelchair to the other rooms to see the other patients and talk to them and their families.I wanted to let them
know that everything was going to be okay.Somehow,things would work out for the best.

1.When the car accident happened,the author________.

A. was a high school student
B. had finished his high school education
C. was a college student
D. was returning home from a swim competition

2. It can be inferred that the author________after he woke up from his coma.

A. was out of hospital
B. was in surprise
C. faced physical and mental challenges
D. was worried about his lung

3. What can we learn from the author's recovery?

A. Attitude is everything.
B. Actions speak louder than words.
C. Everything happens for a reason.
D. A good beginning is half done.

4.What procedure did the author follow to full recovery?
a. ran
b. received membership of the swim team
c. trained for swim
d. baby walked
e. learnt to live all by himself

A. d,a,c,b,e  
B. e,d,a,c,b
C. d,a,b,c,e 
D. e,d,a,b,c

5. What does the author mainly want to show in the last paragraph?

A. His purpose of sharing his story.
B. His painful experiences.
C. His influence on others.
D. His great achievements.

Be Happy
Lioyd Morris
    "The days that make us happy make us wise."--John Masefield.
    When I first read this line by England's Poet Laureate(桂冠詩人),I was amazed.What did Masefield
mean?Without thinking about it much,I had always  assumed that the opposite was true.But his calm
assurance(自信) was remarkable.I could not forget it.
   Finally ,I seemed to grasp his meaning and realized that here was a profound (意義深遠(yuǎn)的)observation.The wisdom that happiness makes possible lies in clear understanding,not fogged by anxiety nor dimmed(變暗淡) by despair and boredom,and without the blind spots caused by fear.
   Active happiness-not more satisfaction or contentment-often comes suddenly,like an April shower or
the unfolding of a bud(蓓蕾).Then you discover what kind of wisdom has accompanied it.The grass is
greener;bird songs are sweeter;the shortcomings of your friends are more understandable and more
forgivable.Happiness is like a pair of eyeglasses correcting your spiritual vision.
   The insight of happiness are not limited to what is near around you.Unhappy ,with your thoughts turned in
upon your emotional sadness,your vision is cut short as though by a wall.Happy ,the wall crumbles(倒塌).
     The long vista(展望)is there for the seeing.The ground at your feet,the world about you-people ,
thoughts,emotions,pressures-are now fitted into the larger scene.Everything assumes a fairer proportion
(比例、關(guān)系).
     And here is the beginning of wisdom.

1.After reading the line by Masefield,the writer felt surprised.Why?

A.Because he didn't expect such a poet would have written such a line
B. Because he had never thought about that before
C. Because he thought it was impossible to be both happy and wise
D. Because he thought it rubbish for Masefield to write something like that

2.what makes being both happy and happy possible?

A．Significance    
B．comprehension  
C．Cooperation    
D．Responsibility

3.According to the writer ,when does active happiness happen?

A．happiness occurs when t rains in April spring
B．a(chǎn)ctive happiness happens when a bud unfolds
C．it occurs when your understanding of everything is better
D．it happens out of our expectation

4.What is the beginning of wisdom?

A.taking a long view of things      
B.looking at things from different angles
C.considering advantages and disadvantages
D.sweeping down irresistibly from a commanding height