The other day I heard a few local musicians talking: "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."...
One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him. Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.
【小题1】The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.

A．musicians’ living conditions are not good

B．people in that town have poor taste in music

C．different people have different attitudes

D．young people are more likely to succeed

【小题2】The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 3 means ______.

A．they’ll push you ahead

B．they’ll have an influence on you

C．they’ll keep you from moving on

D．they’ll help you realize your dreams

【小题3】Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?

A．He is more active than the others.

B．He can earn more than the others.

C．He has more things to do than the others.

D．His attitude is more positive than the others.

【小题4】By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 4, you can ______.

A．make the right kind of friends

B．improve your ability to make friends

C．develop a better relationship with your friends

D．make some new friends with the same interests as you

【小题5】We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.

A．the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend

B．one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people

C．the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends

D．one should avoid making friends with people who have lots of difficulties

The other day I was really annoyed by a friend’s behavior, and when I told my best friend Terry about it, he laughed and said, “ But Jenny, you do that all the time!” Well, that surprised me and set me laughing as well. Terry was absolutely correct. The very thing I had been annoyed at my friend for was a reflection (反映)of my own behavior.

Almost all of us have experienced something like this at some time. When we find ourselves upset or annoyed by situations or by the behaviors of others, it is usually because they are mirroring something in ourselves that we subconsciously (下意识地)know, and we are ready to look at them and make a change.

Understanding this is an important part of self-growth. When we become aware of the characteristics or behaviors we dislike in others, it may be because we are displaying those features in others in order for us to see and deal with them in ourselves. For example, if we need to learn to control our own habit of using sarcasm(讽刺), then we will attract very sarcastic people to us. And we will continue to do so until our lesson in regard to sarcasm is learned.

Recognizing these mirrors helps us do two very important things. It helps us to accept ourselves fully, not just the parts we are happy with. And secondly, it helps us to become more caring and able to love others just as they are. After all, they are only showing us what we do ourselves. Who knows? We could very well be mirrors for them, too.

1.Which can be the best title for the text?

A．The Importance of Understanding Each Other

B．Keep Peace and Calm in Times of Emergency

C．Reflections on Bad Behaviors and Situations

D．How to Deal with Bad Behaviors and Situations

2.The underlined word “them” in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A．people annoying you B．bad behaviors      C．big changes        D．previous experiences

3.The example mentioned in the third paragraph shows _____.

A．everybody has his likes and dislikes

B．how to attract sarcastic people to us

C．what bad behaviors mirror in us helps ourselves develop

D．we must learn to control the habit of using sarcasm

4.Recognizing these mirrors helps us ____.

A．accept our bad parts                     B．use sarcasm bravely

C．make true friends                       D．change others’ behaviors

 

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:

“I hate all the terrible pianos in this town. I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They can’t even understand a bit of music.”

“I’m never playing in that club again. Too many drunks and nobody listens to us.”

But, one younger musician said, “There are a few clubs that book my band a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also looking to book a few summer festivals this year.”

I’ve heard that you are the average of the five people whom you spend the most time with, or to put it another way, you are who your friends are.

Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative, they’re rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who complain about lack of work and about other musicians, or blame (责怪) others, and you play the role of victim (受害者), chances are you will start to as well. So it’s time to take a look at the people you call “friends”.

This is an easy exercise: Make a list of the people who you hang out with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard (标准) for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.

Keep successful people around you and your own chances for success will be much better. Ask them how they do it. Ask if they will help you get the work you’re looking for, or maybe give you some advice to help you on your career path.

1.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A．A friend in need is a friend indeed

B．How to make friendship last for ever

C．You are who your friends are

D．Friends are the most important in one’s success

2.The underlined sentence “they’re rubbing off on you” in Paragraph 6 means ______.

A．they’ll push you ahead                  B．they’ll influence you

C．they’ll cover your shortcomings           D．they’ll help you achieve your goal

3.The musicians’ words at the beginning are written mainly to show ______.

A．the musicians’ living conditions are quite poor

B．people have poor taste in music

C．people have different attitudes towards the same thing

D．young people have greater chances of succeeding

4.By taking the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 7, you can ______.

A．improve a lot in making more friends

B．come to the right way of making friends

C．develop a better relationship with your friends

D．arrange the time with your friends properly

 

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking: "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."...

One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."

I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him. Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".

There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.

1.The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.

A．musicians’ living conditions are not good

B．people in that town have poor taste in music

C．different people have different attitudes

D．young people are more likely to succeed

2.The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 3 means ______.

A．they’ll push you ahead

B．they’ll have an influence on you

C．they’ll keep you from moving on

D．they’ll help you realize your dreams

3.Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?

A．He is more active than the others.

B．He can earn more than the others.

C．He has more things to do than the others.

D．His attitude is more positive than the others.

4.By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 4, you can ______.

A．make the right kind of friends

B．improve your ability to make friends

C．develop a better relationship with your friends

D．make some new friends with the same interests as you

5.We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.

A．the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend

B．one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people

C．the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends

D．one should avoid making friends with people who have lots of difficulties

 

The other day, I received a most unexpected message in response to one of my essays: I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished. I shared your opinion …

It was signed Margaret Leibfried, who was my English teacher — a teacher who appeared at a vital (关键) point in my life and helped me believe that I could become a writer.

Thirty years ago, I entered high school as an introvert (性格内向的人) made all the more shy because I was the school’s only nonwhite student. I always felt in danger of being swept away by a sea of tall white athletes. I spent a lot of time alone, reading and writing stories, hoping to escape being teased.

Ms. Leibfried taught American literature and composition grammar, which involved the usual memorizing vocabulary, but also, thrillingly, reading novels.

Thrilling to me, that is. Many of my classmates expressed dislike for novels because they were “not real.” For once, I didn’t care what they thought. Ms. Leibfried seemed to notice my interest in both reading and writing, and she took the time to make me feel less shy; she even offered me reading suggestions, like one of her favorite novels, “The Bell Jar.”

That year’s big project was a book report, to be read aloud to the class. However, Ms. Leibfried suggested I do something “a little different.” Instead of a report, I chose a passage from “The Bell Jar” that I considered as the best to recite.

The morning of the presentations, I remember my hands sweating so badly as I walked to the front of the class that I kept my hands crossed, so I wouldn’t wipe them on my blouse.

When I finished, to my surprise, the class applauded. “Marie has picked out a particularly sensitive piece of writing and delivered it beautifully,” Ms. Leibfried said, smiling. I felt, maybe for the first time, confident.

1.What was the author’s high school life like before she met Ms. Leibfried?

A．Lonely.

B．Exciting.

C．Wild.

D．Busy

2.In Paragraph 5, the author mainly tells us         .

A．how she cared what her classmates thought

B．when she became interested in “The Bell Jar”

C．why many of her classmates disliked novels

D．how Ms. Leibfried helped and encouraged her

3.Why did Ms. Leibfried ask the author to recite a passage in front of the class?

A．To test whether she had a good memory.

B．To make her earn the respect of her classmates.

C．To help deepen her understanding of “The Bell Jar.”

D．To guide her to build a good relationship with others.

4.How did the author feel when she made the presentation?

A．Comfortable.

B．sad.

C．Nervous.

D．Confident.

5.What was the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To express her thanks to her teacher.

B．To discuss the issue of racial prejudice (偏见).

C．To introduce one of her favorite books.

D．To suggest the ways to gain confidence.